Chapter 0
0:1Now Philopater, on learning from those who came back that Antiochus had made himself master of the places which belonged to himself, sent orders to all his footmen and horsemen, took with him his sister Arsinoe, and marched out as far as the parts of Raphia, where Antiochus and his forces encamped.
0:2And one Theodotus, intending to carry out his design, took with him the bravest of the armed men who had been before committed to his trust by Ptolemy, and got through at night to the tent of Ptolemy, to kill him on his own responsibility, and so to end the war.
0:3But Dositheus, called the son of Drimulus, by birth a Jew, afterward a renegade from the laws and observances of his country, conveyed Ptolemy away, and made an obscure person lie down in his stead in the tent. It befel this man to receive the fate which was meant for the other.
0:4A fierce battle then took place; and the men of Antiochus prevailing, Arsinoe continually went up and down the ranks, and with dishevelled hair, with tears and entreaties, begged the soldiers to fight manfully for themselves, their children, and wives; and promised that if they proved conquerors, she would give them two minæ of gold apiece.
0:5It thus fell out that their enemies were defeated in hand-to-hand encounter, and that many of them were taken prisoners.
0:6Having vanquished this attempt, the king then decided to proceed to the neighbouring cities, and encourage them.
0:7By doing this, and by making donations to their temples, he inspired his subjects with confidence.
0:8The Jews also sent some of their council and of their elders to him. The greetings, guest-gifts, and congratulations on the past, bestowed by them, filled him with the greater eagerness to visit their city.
0:9Having arrived at Jerusalem, sacrificed, and offered thank-offerings to the Greatest God, and done whatever else was suitable to the sanctity of the place, and entered the inner court,
0:10he was so struck with the exact magnificence of the place, and so wondered at the orderly arrangements of the temple, that he conceived the purpose of entering the sanctuary itself.
0:11And when they told him that this was not permissible, none of the nation, no, nor even the priests in general, but only the supreme high priest of all, and he only once in a year, being allowed to go in, he would by no means give way.
0:12Then they read the law to him; but he persisted in obtruding himself, exclaiming, that he ought to be allowed: and saying, Be it that they were deprived of this honour, I ought not to be.
0:13And he put the question, Why, when he entered all temples, none of the priests who were present forbad him?
0:14He was thoughtlessly answered by some one, That he did wrong to boast of this.
0:15Well; since I have done this, said he, be the cause what it may, shall I not enter with or without your consent?
0:16And when the priests fell down in their sacred vestments imploring the Greatest God to come and help in time of need, and to avert the violence of the fierce aggressor, and when they filled the temple with lamentations and tears,
0:17then those who had been left behind in the city were scared, and rushed forth, uncertain of the event.
0:18Virgins, who had been shut up within their chambers, came out with their mothers, scattering dust and ashes on their heads, and filling the streets with outcries.
0:19Women, but recently separated off, left their bridal chambers, left the reserve that befitted them, and ran about the city in a disorderly manner.
0:20Newborn babes were deserted by the mothers or nurses who waited upon them; some here, some there, in houses, or in fields; these now, with an ardour which could not be checked, swarmed into the Most High temple.
0:21Various were the prayers offered up by those who assembled in this place, on account of the unholy attempt of the king.
0:22Along with these there were some of the citizens who took courage, and would not submit to his obstinacy, and his intention of carrying out his purpose.
0:23Calling out to arms, and to die bravely in defence of the law of their fathers, they created a great uproar in the place, and were with difficulty brought back by the aged and the elders to the station of prayer which they had occupied before.
0:24During this time the multitude kept on praying.
0:25The elders who surrounded the king strove in many ways to divert his haughty mind from the design which he had formed.
0:26He, in his hardened mood, insensible to all persuasion, was going onwards, with the view of carrying out this design.
0:27Yet even his own officers, when they saw this, joined the Jews in an appeal to Him who has all power, to aid in the present crisis, and not wink at such overweening lawlessness.
0:28Such was the frequency and the vehemence of the cry of the assembled crowd, that an indescribable noise ensued.
0:29Not the men only, the very walls and floor seemed to sound forth; all things preferring dissolution rather than to see the place defiled.
Chapter 1
1:1Now was it that the high priest Simon bowed his knees over against the holy place, and spread out his hands in reverent form, and uttered the following supplication:
1:2O Lord, Lord, King of the heavens, and Ruler of the whole creation, Holy among the holy, sole Governor, Almighty, give ear to us who are oppressed by a wicked and profane one, who exulteth in his confidence and strength.
1:3It is thou, the Creator of all, the Lord of the universe, who art a righteous Governor, and judgest all who act with pride and insolence.
1:4It was thou who didst destroy the former workers of unrighteousness, among whom were the giants, who trusted in their strength and hardihood, by covering them with a measureless flood.
1:5It was thou who didst make the Sodomites, those workers of exceeding iniquity, men notorious for their vices, an example to after generations, when thou didst consume them with fire and brimstone.
1:6Thou didst make known thy power when thou causedst the bold Pharaoh, the enslaver of thy people, to pass through the ordeal of many and diverse inflictions.
1:7And thou rolledst the depths of the sea over him, when he made pursuit with chariots, and with a multitude of followers, and gavest a safe passage to those who put their trust in thee, the Lord of the whole creation.
1:8These saw and felt the works of thine hands, and praised thee the Almighty.
1:9Thou, O King, when thou createdst the illimitable and measureless earth, didst choose out this city: thou didst make this place sacred to thy name, albeit thou needest nothing: thou didst glorify it with thy illustrious presence, after constructing it to the glory of thy great and honourable name.
1:10And thou didst promise, out of love to the house of Israel, that should we fall away from thee, and become afflicted, and then come to this house and pray, thou wouldest hear our prayer.
1:11Verily thou art faithful and true.
1:12And whereas thou didst often aid our fathers when hard pressed, and in low estate, and deliveredst them out of great dangers,
1:13see now, holy King, how through our many and great sins we are borne down, and made subject to our enemies, and are become weak and powerless.
1:14We being in this low condition, this bold and profane man seeks to dishonour this thy holy place, consecrated out of the earth to the name of thy Majesty.
1:15Thy dwelling-place, the heaven of heavens, is indeed unapproachable to men.
1:16But since it seemed good to thee to exhibit thy glory among thy people Israel, thou didst sanctify this place.
1:17Punish us not by means of the uncleanness of their men, nor chastise us by means of their profanity; lest the lawless ones should boast in their rage, and exult in exuberant pride of speech, and say,
1:18We have trampled upon the holy house, as idolatrous houses are trampled upon.
1:19Blot out our iniquities, and do away with our errors, and shew forth thy compassion in this hour.
1:20Let thy mercies quickly go before us. Grant us peace, that the cast down and broken hearted may praise thee with their mouth.
1:21At that time God, who seeth all things, who is beyond all Holy among the holy, heard that prayer, so suitable; and scourged the man greatly uplifted with scorn and insolence.
1:22Shaking him to and fro as a reed is shaken with the wind, he cast him upon the pavement, powerless, with limbs paralyzed; by a righteous judgment deprived of the faculty of speech.
1:23His friends and body-guards, beholding the swift recompense which had suddenly overtaken him, struck with exceeding terror, and fearing that he would die, speedily removed him.
1:24When in course of time he had come to himself, this severe check caused no repentance within him, but he departed with bitter threatenings.
1:25He proceeded to Egypt, grew worse in wickedness through his beforementioned companions in wine, who were lost to all goodness;
1:26and not satisfied with countless acts of impiety, his audacity so increased that he raised evil reports there, and many of his friends, watching his purpose attentively, joined in furthering his will.
1:27His purpose was to inflict a public stigma upon our race; wherefore he erected a pillar at the tower-porch, and caused the following inscription to be engraven upon it:
1:28That entrance to their own temple was to be refused to all those who would not sacrifice; that all the Jews were to be registered among the common people; that those who resisted were to be forcibly seized and put to death;
1:29that those who were thus registered, were to be marked on their persons by the ivy-leaf symbol of Dionysus, and to be set apart with these limited rights.
1:30To do away with the appearance of hating them all, he had it written underneath, that if any of them should elect to enter the community of those initiated in the rites, these should have equal rights with the Alexandrians.
1:31Some of those who were over the city, therefore, abhorring any approach to the city of piety, unhesitatingly gave in to the king, and expected to derive some great honour from a future connection with him.
1:32A nobler spirit, however, prompted the majority to cling to their religious observances, and by paying money that they might live unmolested, these sought to escape the registration:
1:33cheerfully looking forward to future aid, they abhorred their own apostates, considering them to be national foes, and debarring them from the common usages of social intercourse.
Chapter 2
2:1On discovering this, so incensed was the wicked king, that he no longer confined his rage to the Jews in Alexandria. Laying his hand more heavily upon those who lived in the country, he gave orders that they should be quickly collected into one place, and most cruelly deprived of their lives.
2:2While this was going on, an invidious rumour was uttered abroad by men who had banded together to injure the Jewish race. The purport of their charge was, that the Jews kept them away from the ordinances of the law.
2:3Now, while the Jews always maintained a feeling of unswerving loyalty towards the kings,
2:4yet, as they worshipped God, and observed his law, they made certain distinctions, and avoided certain things. Hence some persons held them in odium;
2:5although, as they adorned their conversation with works of righteousness, they had established themselves in the good opinion of the world.
2:6What all the rest of mankind said, was, however, made of no account by the foreigners;
2:7who said much of the exclusiveness of the Jews with regard to their worship and meats; they alleged that they were men unsociable, hostile to the king's interests, refusing to associate with him or his troops. By this way of speaking, they brought much odium upon them.
2:8Nor was this unexpected uproar and sudden conflux of people unobserved by the Greeks who lived in the city, concerning men who had never harmed them: yet to aid them was not in their power, since all was oppression around; but they encouraged the Jews by sympathizing with them in their troubles, and expected a favourable turn of affairs:
2:9He who knoweth all things, will not, said they , disregard so great a people.
2:10Some of the neighbours, friends, and fellow dealers of the Jews, even called them secretly to an interview, pledged them their assistance, and promised to do their very utmost for them.
2:11Now the king, elated with his prosperous fortune, and not regarding the superior power of God, but thinking to persevere in his present purpose, wrote the following letter to the prejudice of the Jews.
2:12King Ptolemy Philopater, to the commanders and soldiers in Egypt, and in all places, health and happiness!
2:13I am right well; and so, too, are my affairs.
2:14Since our Asiatic campaign, the particulars of which ye know, and which by the aid of the gods, not lightly given, and by our own vigour, has been brought to a successful issue according to our expectation,
2:15we resolved, not with strength of spear, but with gentleness and much humanity, as it were to nurse the inhabitants of Cœle-Syria and Phœnicia, and to be their willing benefactors.
2:16So, having bestowed considerable sums of money upon the temples of the several cities, we proceeded even as far as Jerusalem; and went up to honour the temple of these wretched beings who never cease from their folly.
2:17To outward appearance they received us willingly; but belied that appearance by their deeds. When we were eager to enter their temple, and to honour it with the most beautiful and exquisite gifts,
2:18they were so carried away by their old arrogance, as to forbid us the entrance; while we, out of our forbearance toward all men, refrained from exercising our power upon them.
2:19And thus, exhibiting their enmity against us, they alone among the nations lift up their heads against kings and benefactors, as men unwilling to submit to any thing reasonable.
2:20We then, having endeavoured to make allowance for the madness of these persons, and on our victorious return treating all people in Egypt courteously, acted in a manner which was befitting.
2:21Accordingly, bearing no ill-will against their kinsmen [at Jerusalem], but rather remembering our connection with them, and the numerous matters with sincere heart from a remote period entrusted to them, we wished to venture a total alteration of their state, by bestowing upon them the rights of citizens of Alexandria, and to admit them to the everlasting rites of our solemnities.
2:22All this, however, they have taken in a very different spirit. With their innate malignity, they have spurned the fair offer; and constantly inclining to evil,
2:23have rejected the inestimable rights. Not only so, but by using speech, and by refraining from speech, they abhor the few among them who are heartily disposed towards us; ever deeming that their ignoble course of procedure will force us to do away with our reform.
2:24Having then, received certain proofs that these Jews bear us every sort of ill-will, we must look forward to the possibility of some sudden tumult among ourselves, when these impious men may turn traitors and barbarous enemies.
2:25As soon, therefore, as the contents of this letter become known to you, in that same hour we order those Jews who dwell among you, with wives and children, to be sent to us, vilified and abused, in chains of iron, to undergo a death, cruel and ignominious, suitable to men disaffected.
2:26For by the punishment of them in one body we perceive that we have found the only means of establishing our affairs for the future on a firm and satisfactory basis.
2:27Whoever shall shield a Jew, whether it be old man, child, or suckling, shall with his whole house be tortured to death.
2:28Whoever shall inform against the Jews , besides receiving the property of the person charged, shall be presented with two thousand drachmæ from the royal treasury, shall be made free, and shall be crowned.
2:29Whatever place shall shelter a Jew, shall, when he is hunted forth, be put under the ban of fire, and be for ever rendered useless to every living being for all time to come.
2:30Such was the purport of the king's letter.
Chapter 3
3:1Wherever this decree was received, the people kept up a revelry of joy and shouting; as if their long-pent-up, hardened hatred, were now to shew itself openly.
3:2The Jews suffered great throes of sorrow, and wept much; while their hearts, all things around being lamentable, were set on fire as they bewailed the sudden destruction which was decreed against them.
3:3What home, or city, or place at all inhabited, or what streets were there, which their condition did not fill with wailing and lamentation?
3:4They were sent out unanimously by the generals in the several cities, with such stern and pitiless feeling, that the exceptional nature of the infliction moved even some of their enemies. These, influenced by sentiments of common humanity, and reflecting upon the uncertain issue of life, shed tears at this their miserable expulsion.
3:5A multitude of aged hoary-haired men, were driven along with halting bending feet, urged onward by the impulse of a violent, shameless force to quick speed.
3:6Girls who had entered the bridal chamber quite lately, to enjoy the partnership of marriage, exchanged pleasure for misery; and with dust scattered upon their myrrh-anointed heads, were hurried along unveiled, and, in the midst of outlandish insults, set up with one accord a lamentable cry in lieu of the marriage hymn.
3:7Bound, and exposed to public gaze, they were hurried violently on board ship.
3:8The husbands of these, in the prime of their youthful vigour, instead of crowns wore halters round their necks; instead of feasting and youthful jollity, spent the rest of their nuptial days in wailings, and saw only the grave at hand.
3:9They were dragged along by unyielding chains, like wild beasts: of these, some had their necks thrust into the benches of the rowers; while the feet of others were enclosed in hard fetters.
3:10The planks of the deck above them barred out the light, and shut out the day on every side, so that they might be treated like traitors during the whole voyage.
3:11They were conveyed accordingly in this vessel, and at the end of it arrived at Schedia. The king had ordered them to be cast into the vast hippodrome, which was built in front of the city. This place was well adapted by its situation to expose them to the gaze of all comers into the city, and of those who went from the city into the country. Thus they could hold no communication with his forces; nay, were deemed unworthy of any civilized accommodation.
3:12When this was done, the king, hearing that their brethren in the city often went out and lamented the melancholy distress of these victims,
3:13was full of rage, and commanded that they should be carefully subjected to the same (and not one whit milder) treatment.
3:14The whole nation was now to be registered. Every individual was to be specified by name; not for that hard servitude of labour which we have a little before mentioned, but that he might expose them to the before-mentioned tortures; and finally, in the short space of a day, might extirpate them by his cruelties.
3:15The registering of these men was carried on cruelly, zealously, assiduously, from the rising of the sun to its going down, and was not brought to an end in forty days.
3:16The king was filled with great and constant joy, and celebrated banquets before the temple idols. His erring heart, far from the truth, and his profane mouth, gave glory to idols, deaf and incapable of speaking or aiding, and uttered unworthy speech against the Greatest God.
3:17At the end of the above-mentioned interval of time, the registrars brought word to the king that the multitude of the Jews was too great for registration,
3:18inasmuch as there were many still left in the land, of whom some were in inhabited houses, and others were scattered about in various places; so that all the commanders in Egypt were insufficient for the work.
3:19The king threatened them, and charged them with taking bribes, in order to contrive the escape of the Jews : but was clearly convinced of the truth of what had been said.
3:20They said, and proved, that paper and pens had failed them for the carrying out of their purpose.
3:21Now this was the active interference of the unconquerable Providence which assisted the Jews from heaven.
Chapter 4
4:1Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design,
4:2he 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.
4:3The 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.
4:4The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually.
4:5The 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.
4:6The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection; for chains fettered them about.
4:7They invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly besought with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power,
4:8to 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.
4:9Their litany so earnest went up to heaven.
4:10Then Hermon, who had filled his merciless elephants with copious draughts of mingled wine and frankincense, came early to the palace to certify the king thereof.
4:11He, 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.
4:12By 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.
4:13But 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.
4:14The 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.
4:15He gained his attention with difficulty, and hinting that the mealtime was getting past, talked the matter over with him.
4:16The king listened to this, and then turning aside to his potations, commanded the guests to sit down before him.
4:17This done, he asked them to enjoy themselves, and to indulge in mirth at this somewhat late hour of the banquet.
4:18Conversation 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.
4:19Hermon explained that he had done his bidding over night; and in this he was confirmed by his friends.
4:20The 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 to-morrow, as you did before, for the destruction of these accursed Jews.
4:21When the king said this, the company present were glad, and approved; and then each man went to his own home.
4:22Nor did they employ the night in sleep, so much as in contriving cruel mockeries for those deemed miserable.
4:23The morning cock had just crowed, and Hermon, having harnessed the brutes, was stimulating them in the great colonnade.
4:24The city crowds were collected together to see the hideous spectacle, and waited impatiently for the dawn.
4:25The Jews, breathless with momentary suspense, stretched forth their hands, and prayed the Greatest God, in mournful strains, again to help them speedily.
4:26The 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.
4:27The 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.
4:28But this was the working of that Almighty God who had made him forget all his purpose.
4:29Hermon, and all his friends, pointed out the preparation of the animals. They are ready, O king, according to your own strict injunction.
4:30The 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:
4:31Your 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.
4:32Had it not been for familiar friendship, and the claims of your office, your life should have gone for theirs.
4:33Hermon, being threatened in this unexpected and alarming manner, was troubled in visage, and depressed in countenance.
4:34The friends, too, stole out one by one, and dismissed the assembled multitudes to their occupations.
4:35The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him.
4:36Now the king arranged another banquet after the same manner, and proclaimed an invitation to mirth.
4:37And 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?
4:38Once more, arm the elephants against the morrow for the extermination of the Jews.
4:39His kinsmen, who were reclining with him, wondered at his instability, and thus expressed themselves:
4:40O 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.
4:41For this cause the feeling of expectation causes tumult in the city: it swarms with factions; and is continually on the point of being plundered.
4:42The 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.
4:43He 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.
4:44Joyfully 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.
4:45And 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.
4:46About 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.
4:47The 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 above-mentioned Jews .
4:48But 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,
4:49thought 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, mothers their daughters: other women held their infants to their breasts, which drew what seemed their last milk.
4:50Nevertheless, when they reflected upon the succour before granted them from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord; removed even the sucking children from the breast, and
4:51sent 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.
Chapter 5
5:1And Eleazar, an illustrious priest of the country, who had attained to length of days, and whose life had been adorned with virtue, caused the presbyters who were about him to cease to cry out to the holy God, and prayed thus:
5:2O King, mighty in power, most high, Almighty God, who regulatest the whole creation with thy tender mercy,
5:3look upon the seed of Abraham, upon the children of the sanctified Jacob, thy sanctified inheritance, O Father, now being wrongfully destroyed as strangers in a strange land.
5:4Thou destroyedst Pharaoh, with his host of chariots, when that lord of this same Egypt was uplifted with lawless hardihood and loud-sounding tongue. Shedding the beams of thy mercy upon the race of Israel, thou didst overwhelm him with his proud army.
5:5When Sennacherim, the grievous king of the Assyrians, glorying in his countless hosts, had subdued the whole land with his spear, and was lifting himself against thy holy city, with boastings grievous to be endured, thou, O Lord, didst demolish him and didst shew forth thy might to many nations.
5:6When the three friends in the land of Babylon of their own will exposed their lives to the fire rather than serve vain things, thou didst send a dewy coolness through the fiery furnace, and bring the fire upon all their adversaries.
5:7It was thou who, when Daniel was hurled, through slander and envy, as a prey to lions down below, didst bring him back again unhurt to light.
5:8When Jonah was pining away in the belly of the sea-bred monster, thou didst look upon him, O Father, and recover him to the sight of his own.
5:9And now, thou who hatest insolence; thou who dost abound in mercy; thou who art the protector of all things; appear quickly to those of the race of Israel, who are insulted by abhorred, lawless Gentiles.
5:10If our life has during our exile been stained with iniquity, deliver us from the hand of the enemy, and destroy us, O Lord, by the death which thou preferrest.
5:11Let not the vain-minded congratulate vain idols at the destruction of thy beloved, saying, Neither did their God deliver them.
5:12Thou who art All-powerful and Almighty, O Eternal One, behold! have mercy upon us who are being withdrawn from life, like traitors, by the unreasoning insolence of lawless men.
5:13Let the heathen cower before thy invincible might to-day, O glorious One, who hast all power to save the race of Jacob.
5:14The whole band of infants and their parents with tears beseech thee.
5:15Let it be shewn to all the nations that thou art with us, O Lord, and hast not turned thy face away from us; but as thou saidst that thou wouldst not forget them even in the land of their enemies, so do thou fulfil this saying, O Lord.
5:16Now, at the time that Eleazar had ended his prayer, the king came along to the hippodrome, with the wild beasts, and with his tumultuous power.
5:17When the Jews saw this, they uttered a loud cry to heaven, so that the adjacent valleys resounded, and caused an irrepressible lamentation throughout the army.
5:18Then the all-glorious, all-powerful, and true God, displayed his holy countenance, and opened the gates of heaven, from which two angels, dreadful of form, came down, and were visible to all but the Jews.
5:19And they stood opposite, and filled the enemies' host with confusion and cowardice; and bound them with immoveable fetters.
5:20And a cold shudder came over the person of the king, and oblivion paralysed the vehemence of his spirit.
5:21They turned back the animals upon the armed forces which followed them; and the animals trod them down, and destroyed them.
5:22The king's wrath was converted into compassion; and he wept at his own machinations.
5:23For when he heard the cry, and saw them all on the verge of destruction, with tears he angrily threatened his friends, saying,
5:24Ye have governed badly; and have exceeded tyrants in cruelty; and me your benefactor ye have laboured to deprive at once of my dominion and my life, by secretly devising measures injurious to the kingdom.
5:25Who has gathered here, unreasonably removing each from his home, those who, in fidelity to us, had held the fortresses of the country?
5:26Who has thus consigned to unmerited punishments those who in good will towards us from the beginning have in all things surpassed all nations, and who often have engaged in the most dangerous undertakings?
5:27Loose, loose the unjust bonds; send them to their homes in peace, and deprecate what has been done.
5:28Release the sons of the almighty living God of heaven, who from our ancestors' times until now has granted a glorious and uninterrupted prosperity to our affairs.
5:29These things he said: and they, released the same moment, having now escaped death, praised God their holy Saviour.
5:30The king then departed to the city, and called his financier to him, and bade him provide a seven days' quantity of wine and other materials for feasting for the Jews. He decided that they should keep a gladsome festival of deliverance in the very place in which they expected to meet with their destruction.
5:31Then they who were before despised and nigh unto Hades, yea, rather advanced into it, partook of the cup of salvation, instead of a grievous and lamentable death. Full of exultation, they parted out the place intended for their fall and burial into banqueting booths.
5:32Ceasing their miserable strain of woe, they took up the subject of their fatherland, hymning in praise God their wonder-working Saviour. All groans, all wailing, were laid aside: they formed dances in token of serene joy.
5:33So, also, the king collected a number of guests for the occasion, and returned unceasing thanks with much magnificence for the unexpected deliverance afforded him.
5:34Those who had marked them out as for death and for carrion, and had registered them with joy, howled aloud, and were clothed with shame, and had the fire of their rage ingloriously put out.
5:35But the Jews, as we just said, instituted a dance, and then gave themselves up to feasting, glad thanksgivings, and psalms.
5:36They made a public ordinance to commemorate these things for generations to come, as long as they should be sojourners. They thus established these days as days of mirth, not for the purpose of drinking or luxury, but because God had saved them.
5:37They requested the king to send them back to their homes.
5:38They were being enrolled from the twenty-fifth of Pachon to the fourth of Epiphi, a period of forty days: the measures taken for their destruction lasted from the fifth of Epiphi till the seventh, that is, three days.
5:39The Ruler over all did during this time manifest forth his mercy gloriously, and did deliver them all together unharmed.
5:40They feasted upon the king's provision up to the fourteenth day, and then asked to be sent away.
5:41The king commended them, and wrote the subjoined letter, of magnanimous import for them, to the commanders of every city.
Chapter 6
6:1King Ptolemy Philopator to the commanders throughout Egypt, and to all who are set over affairs, joy and strength.
6:2We, too, and our children are well; and God has directed our affairs as we wish.
6:3Certain of our friends did of malice vehemently urge us to punish the Jews of our realm in a body, with the infliction of a monstrous punishment.
6:4They pretended that our affairs would never be in a good state till this took place. Such, they said, was the hatred borne by the Jews to all other people.
6:5They brought them fettered in grievous chains as slaves, nay, as traitors. Without enquiry or examination they endeavoured to annihilate them. They buckled themselves with a savage cruelty, worse than Scythian custom.
6:6For this cause we severely threatened them; yet, with the clemency which we are wont to extend to all men, we at length permitted them to live. Finding that the God of heaven cast a shield of protection over the Jews so as to preserve them, and that he fought for them as a father always fights for his sons;
6:7and taking into consideration their constancy and fidelity towards us and towards our ancestors, we have, as we ought, acquitted them of every sort of charge.
6:8And we have dismissed them to their several homes; bidding all men everywhere to do them no wrong, or unrighteously revile them about the past.
6:9For know ye, that should we conceive any evil design against, or in any manner aggrieve them, we shall ever have as our opposite, not man, but the highest God, the ruler of all might. From Him there will be no escape, as the avenger of such deeds. Fare ye well.
6:10When they had received this letter, they were not forward to depart immediately. They petitioned the king to be allowed to inflict fitting punishment upon those of their race who had willingly transgressed the holy God, and the law of God.
6:11They alleged that men who had for their bellies' sake transgressed the ordinances of God, would never be faithful to the interests of the king.
6:12The king admitted the truth of this reasoning, and commended them. Full power was given them, without warrant or special commission, to destroy those who had transgressed the law of God boldly in every part of the king's dominions.
6:13Their priests, then, as it was meet, saluted him with good wishes, and all the people echoed with the Hallelujah. They then joyfully departed.
6:14Then they punished and destroyed with ignominy every polluted Jew that fell in their way;
6:15slaying thus, in that day, above three hundred men, and esteeming this destruction of the wicked a season of joy.
6:16They themselves having held fast their God unto death, and having enjoyed a full deliverance, departed from the city garlanded with sweet-flowered wreaths of every kind. Uttering exclamations of joy, with songs of praise, and melodious hymns they thanked the God of their fathers, the eternal Saviour of Israel.
6:17Having arrived at Ptolemais, called from the specialty of that district Rose-bearing, where the fleet, in accordance with the general wish, waited for them seven days,
6:18they partook of a banquet of deliverance, for the king generously granted them severally the means of securing a return home.
6:19They were accordingly brought back in peace, while they gave utterance to becoming thanks; and they determined to keep these days during their sojourn as days of joyfulness.
6:20These they registered as sacred upon a pillar, when they had dedicated the place of their festivity to be one of prayer. They departed unharmed, free, abundant in joy, preserved by the king's command, by land, by sea, and by river, each to his own home.
6:21They had more weight than before among their enemies; and were honoured and feared, and no one in any way robbed them of their goods.
6:22Every man received back his own, according to inventory; those who had obtained their goods, giving them up with the greatest terror. For the greatest God wrought with perfectness wonders for their salvation.
6:23Blessed be the Redeemer of Israel unto everlasting. Amen.
Chapter 0
0:1Ο ΔΕ Φιλοπάτωρ παρὰ τῶν ἀνακομισθέντων μαθὼν τὴν γινομένην A τῶν ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ κρατουμένων τόπων ἀφαίρεσιν ὑπὸ Ἀντιόχου, παραγγείλας ταῖς πάσαις δυνάμεσιν πεζικαῖς καὶ ἱππικαῖς, καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν Ἀρσινόην συνπαραλαβών, ἐξώρμησεν μέχρι τῶν κατὰ Ῥαφίαν τόπων, ὅπου παρεμβεβλήκεισαν οἱ περὶ Ἀντίοχον.
0:2Θεόδοτος δέ τις ἐκπληρῶσαι τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν διανοηθείς, παραλαβὼν τῶν προυποτεταγμένων αὐτῷ ὅπλων Πτολεμαικῶν τὰ κράτιστα, διεκομίσθη νύκτωρ ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ Πτολεμαίου σκηνήν, ὡς μόνος κτεῖναι αὐτόν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ διαλῦσαι τὸν πόλεμον.
0:3τοῦτον δὲ διάγων Δωσίθεος ὁ Δριμύλου λεγόμενος, τὸ γένος Ἰουδαῖος, ὕστερον δὲ μεταβαλὼν τὰ νόμιμα καὶ τῶν πατρίων δογμάτων ἀπηλλοτριωμένος, ἄσημόν τινα κατέκλινεν ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ, ὃν συνέβη κομίσασθαι τὴν ἐκείνου κόλασιν.
0:4γενομένης δὲ καρτερᾶς μάχης καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων μᾶλλον ἐρρωμένων τῷ Ἀντιόχῳ, ἱκανῶς ἡ Ἀρσινόη ἐπιπορευσαμένη τὰς δυνάμεις παρεκάλει μετὰ οἴκτου καὶ δακρύων, τοὺς πλοκάμους λελυμένη, βοηθεῖν ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις καὶ ταῖς γυναιξὶν θαρραλέως, ἐπαγγελλομένη δώσειν νικήσασιν ἑκάστῳ δύο μνᾶς χρυσίου·
0:5καὶ οὕτως συνέβη τοὺς ἀντιπάλους ἐν χειρονομίαις διαφθαρῆναι, πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ δοριαλώτους συλλημφθῆναι.
0:6κατακρατήσας δὲ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἔκρινεν τὰς πλησίον πόλεις ἐπελθὼν παρακαλέσαι.
0:7ποιήσας δὲ τοῦτο, καὶ τοῖς τεμένεσι δωρεὰς ἀπονείμας, εὐθαρσεῖς τοὺς ὑποτεταγμένους Inscr Μακκαβαιων λογος γ΄ A Μακκ. γ΄ V I 1 ακομισθεντων V* v (αποκομ. Va) | γενομενην V | επ] υπ V | συμπαραλαβων V | Αντιοχον] pr τον V 2 εκπληρωσαι] πληρωσαι V | οπλων] τοπων A* (οπλ. A¹) 3 διαγαγων V | Δοσιθεος Vᵃ | Δρυμυλου V* (Δριμ. V¹?) μεταλαβων V* (μεταβαλ. Vᵃ) 4 καρτερας] και ετερας V | Αντιωχω (sic V*) ικανως· V | πλοκαμους] πολεμους A | εαυτον V* (-τοις V¹) | ταις γυναιξιν] om ταις V 5 ουτως] τουτως (sic ut vid) A | αντιπαους V* (-παλ. V¹) | δοριαλωτους (δορυαλ. Va)] ροδιαλωτους (sic) A | συλληφθ. V 7 δωρεαν V | απονειμα· A A κατέστησεν.
0:8Τῶν δὲ Ἰουδαίων διαπεμψαμένων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γερουσίας καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοὺς ἀσπασομένους αὐτὸν καὶ ξένια κομιοῦντας καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν χαρησομένους, συνέβη μᾶλλον αὐτὸν προθυμηθῆναι, ὡς τάχιστα πρὸς αὐτοὺς παραγενέσθαι.
0:9διακομισθεὶς δὲ εἰς Ἰεροσόλυμα, καὶ θύσας τῷ πιστῷ θεῷ καὶ χάριτας ἀποδιδοὺς καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς τι τῷ τόπῳ ποιήσας, καὶ δὴ παραγενόμενος εἰς τὸν τόπον καὶ τῇ σπουδαιότητι καὶ εὐσεβείᾳ καταπληγείς,
0:10θαυμάσας δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἱεροῦ εὐταξίαν, ἐνεθυμήθη βουλεύσασθαι εἰς τὸν ναὸν εἰσελθεῖν.
0:11τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων μὴ καθήκειν γίνεσθαι τοῦτο, διὰ τὸ μηδὲ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εἰσιέναι, μηδὲ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ἀλλʼ ἢ μόνῳ τῷ προηγουμένῳ πάντων ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ τούτῳ κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἅπαξ, ὁ δὲ οὐδαμῶς ἐπείθετο.
0:12τοῦ τε νόμου παραναγνωσθέντος, οὐδ᾿ ὣς ἀπέλειπεν προφερόμενος ἑαυτὸν δεῖν εἰσελθεῖν, λέγων Καὶ εἰ ἐκεῖνοι ἐστέρηνται ταύτης τῆς τιμῆς, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ δεῖ.
0:13καὶ ἐπυνθάνετο διὰ τίνα αἰτίαν αὐτὸν εἰσερχόμενον εἰς πᾶν τέμενος οὐθεὶς ἐκώλυσεν τῶν παρόντων.
0:14καί τις ἀπρονοήτως ἔφη κακῶς αὐτὸ τοῦτο τερατεύεσθαι·
0:15γινομένου δέ, φησίν, τούτου, διὰ τίνα αἰτίαν οὐχὶ πάντων εἰσελεύσεσθαι, καὶ θελόντων αὐτῶν καὶ μή;
0:16Τῶν δὲ ἱερέων ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐσθήσεσιν προσπεσόντων, καὶ δεομένων τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ βοηθεῖν τοῖς ἐνεστῶσιν, καὶ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ κακῶς ἐπιβαλλομένου μεταθεῖναι, κραυγῆς τε μετὰ δακρύων τὸ ἱερὸν ἐμπλησάντων,
0:17οἱ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἀπολειπόμενοι ταραχθέντες ἐξεπήδησαν, ἄδηλον τιθέμενοι τὸ γινόμενον.
0:18αἵ τε κατάκλειστοι παρθένοι ἐν θαλάμοις σὺν ταῖς τεκούσαις ἐξώρμησαν· καὶ ἀπέδωκαν κόνει τὰς κόμας πασάμεναι, πού γε καὶ στεναγμῶν ἐνεμπίπλων τὰς πλατείας.
0:19αἱ δὲ καὶ προσαρτίως ἐσταλμέναι, τοὺς πρὸς ἅπαν νῦν διατεταγμένους καὶ τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν αἰδὼ παραλείπουσαι, δρόμον ἄτακτον συνίσταντο,
0:20τὰ δὲ νεογνὰ τῶν τέκνων αἱ πρὸς τούτοις μητέρες καὶ τιθηνοὶ παραλείπουσαι ἄλλως καὶ ἄλλως, αἱ μὲν κατʼ οἴκους, αἱ δὲ κατὰ τὰς ἀγυιὰς ἀνεπιστρέπτως εἰς τὸ πανυπέρτατον ἱερὸν ἠθροίζοντο.
0:21ποικίλη δὲ ἦν τῶν εἰς τοῦτο συλλεγέντων V7 καταστησαι V 8 συμβεβηκοσι V | χαρισ. V* (χαρησ. Vᵃ) | προς 2⁰] παρ V 9 πιστω] μεγιστω V | τοπω] τοπον A | ευσεβεια] ευπρεπεια V | καταπλαγεις V 11 εθνεσιν] εκ του εθνους V 12 παραγνωσθ. A V | ουδ ως] ουδαμως V | εκεινω (sic) A 13 δια τινα] ατινα (sic) A | τετεμενος (sic) A | ουδεις V | διεκωλυσεν V* -σε Va 15 γενομενου V | παντες V 16 προπεσοντων V* (προσπ. Vᵃ) | μεγιστου] μεγαλου V | τε] δε V 18 πασσ. Vᵃ | που γε] γοου τε V | ενεμπιμπλων V* ενεπιμπλ. Vᵃ 19 δια- τεταγμενην (sic) A | ατακτον] + εν τη πολει V 20 νεογνα] ναιογνα (γ rescr A¹) A | αι 1⁰] + τε A | αι 2⁰] και A | δε κατα τας] δεκατας (sic ut vid) A ἡ δέησις ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνοσίως ὑπʼ ἐκείνου κατεγχειρουμένοις.
0:22σύν τε A τούτοις οἱ περὶ τῶν πολιτῶν θρασυνθέντες οὐκ ἠνείχοντο τέλεον αὐτοῦ ἐπικειμένου καὶ τὸ τῆς προθέσεως ἐκπληροῦν διανοουμένου·
0:23φωνήσαντες δὲ τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα ποιήσασθαι, καὶ θαρραλέως ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου τελευτᾷν, ἱκανὴν ἐποίησαν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τραχύτητα, μόλις δὲ ὑπό τε τῶν γεραιῶν καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀποτραπέντες, ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς δεήσεως παρῆσαν στάσιν.
0:24καὶ τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ὡς ἔμπροσθεν τούτοις ἀνεστρέφετο δεόμενον.
0:25οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα πρεσβύτεροι πολλαχῶς ἐπειρῶντο τὸν ἀγέρωχον αὐτοῦ νοῦν ἐξιστάνειν τῆς ἐντεθυμημένης ἐπιβουλῆς.
0:26θρασυνθεὶς δὲ καὶ πάντας παραπέμψας ἤδη, καὶ πρόσβασιν ἤδη ἐποιεῖτο, τέλος ἐπιθήσειν δοκῶν τῷ προειρημένῳ.
0:27ταῦτα οὖν καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντες θεωροῦντες ἐτράπησαν εἰς τὸ σὺν τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν πᾶν κράτος ἔχοντα τοῖς παροῦσιν ἐπαμῦναι, μὴ περιιδόντα τὴν ἄνομον καὶ ὑπερήφανον πρᾶξιν.
0:28ἐκ δὲ τῆς πυκνοτάτης τε καὶ ἐνπόνου τῶν ὄχλων συναγομένης κραυγῆς ἀνείκαστός τις ἦν βοή·
0:29δοκεῖν γὰρ ἦν μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἔδαφος ἠχεῖν, ἅτε δὴ τῶν πάντων τότε θάνατον ἀλλασσομένων ἀντὶ τῆς τοῦ τόπου βεβηλώσεως.
Chapter 1
1:1Κύριε, Κύριε, βασιλεῦ τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ δέσποτα πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ἅγιε ἐν ἁγίοις, μόναρχε, παντοκράτωρ, πρόσχες ἡμῖν καταπονουμένοις ὑπὸ ἀνοσίου καὶ βεβήλου, θράσει καὶ σθένει πεφρυασμένου.
1:2σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὁ κτίσας τὰ πάντα, καὶ τῶν ὅλων ἐπικρατῶν· δυνάστης δίκαιος εἶ, καὶ τοὺς ὕβρει καὶ ἀγερωχίᾳ τι πράσσοντας κρίνεις.
1:3σὺ τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν ἀδικίαν ποιήσαντας, ἐν οἷς γίγαντες ἦσαν ῥώμῃ καὶ θράσει πεποιθότες, διέφθειρας, ἐπαγαγὼν αὐτοῖς ἀμέτρητον ὕδωρ.
1:4σὺ τοὺς ὑπερηφανίαν ἐργαζομένους Σοδομίτας, ἀδήλους ταῖς κακίαις γενομένους, πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ κατέφλεξας, παράδιγμα τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις καταστήσας.
1:5σὺ τὸν θρασὺν Φαραώ, καταδουλωσάμενον τὸν λαόν σου τὸν ἅγιον Ἰσραήλ, ποικίλαις καὶ 21 ανοσιοις V 22 εινηχοντο V* (ηνειχ. Va) 23 φωνησαν A φωνη- V σαντος V υπο 2⁰] απο V | om τε V | παρησαν] εστησαν V 24 τουτοις] pr εν V 25 επιβουλης] βουλης V 26 παντα V | προπεμψας V* (παραπ. V1) om ηδη 2⁰ V | επ. τελος· (sic) A | των προειρημενων V 27 μη] pr και V περϊδ|ντα (sic) A (περιιδ. V) την] ην A* (τ superscr A¹) 28 πυκνοτητος V | om τε V | εμπονου Va 29 δοκειν] pr η A | om τοτε V II 2 παντοκρατωρ V* (-τορ Vᵃ) σθενει] ασθενει (sic) A | πρεφρυασμενους (sic) A πεφρυαγμενου V 3 om ει 1⁰ V 4 ε|ν V* τν| Vᵃ | οις] + και V | αυτους A 5 διαδηλους V vid 6 τον αγιον] om τον V A πολλαῖς δοκιμάσας τιμωρίαις ἐγνώρισας τὴν σὴν δύναμιν, ἐφʼ αἷς ἐγνώρισας τὸ μέγα σου κράτος.
1:6καὶ ἐπιδιώξαντα αὐτὸν σὺν ἅρμασιν καὶ ὄχλων πλήθει, ἐπέκλυσας βάθει θαλάσσης, τοὺς δὲ ἐνπιστεύσαντας ἐπὶ σοὶ τῷ τῆς ἁπάσης κτίσεως δυναστεύοντι, σῴους διεκόμισας.
1:7οἳ καὶ συνιδόντες ἔργα σῆς χειρός, ἤνεσάν σε τὸν παντοκράτορα.
1:8σύ, βασιλεῦ, κτίσας τὴν ἀπέρατον καὶ ἀμέτρητον γῆν, ἐξελέξω τὴν πόλιν ταύτην, καὶ ἡγίασας τὸν τόπον τοῦτον εἰς σὸν ὄνομά σοι τῷ τῶν ἁπάντων ἀπροσδεεῖ, καὶ παρεδόξασας ἐν ἐπιφανείᾳ μεγαλοπρεπεῖ, σύστασιν ποιησάμενος αὐτοῦ πρὸς δόξαν τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ἐντίμου ὀνόματός σου.
1:9καὶ ἀγαπῶν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ἐπηγγείλω διότι ἐὰν γένηται ἡμῶν ἀποστροφὴ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς στενοχωρία, καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὸν τόπον ἡμῶν δεηθῶμεν, εἰσακούσῃ τῆς δεήσεως ἡμῶν.
1:10καὶ δὴ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός.
1:11ἐπεὶ δὲ πλεονάκις καὶ θλιβέντων τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐβοήθησας αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει, καὶ ἐρρύσω αὐτοὺς ἐκ μεγάλων κακῶν·
1:12ἰδοὺ δὲ νῦν, ἅγιε βασιλεῦ, διὰ τὰς πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίας καταπονούμεθα, καὶ ὑπετάγημεν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν, καὶ παρείμεθα ἐν ἀδυναμίαις.
1:13ἐν δὲ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ καταπτώσει ὁ θρασὺς καὶ βέβηλος οὗτος ἐπιτηδεύει καθυβρίσαι τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀναδεδιγμένον τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς δόξης σου ἅγιον τόπον.
1:14τὸ μὲν γὰρ κατοικητήριόν σου οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀνέφικτος ἀνθρώποις ἐστίν.
1:15ὰλλὰ ἐπεὶ εὐδόκησας τὴν δόξαν σου ἐν τῷ λαῷ σου Ἰσραήλ, ἡγίασας τὸν τόπον τοῦτον.
1:16μὴ ἐκδικήσῃς ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ τούτων ἀκαθαρσίᾳ, μηδὲ εὐθύνῃς ἡμᾶς ἐν βεβηλώσει, ἵνα μὴ καυχήσωνται οἱ παράνομοι ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν, μηδὲ ἀγαλλιάσωνται ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ γλώσσης αὐτῶν, λέγοντες
1:17Ἡμεῖς κατεπατήσαμεν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ, ὡς καταπατοῦνται οἱ οἶκοι τῶν προσοχθισμάτων.
1:18ἀπάλειψον τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, καὶ διασκέδασον τὰς ἀμβλακίας ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐπίφανον τὸ ἔλεός σου κατὰ τὴν ὥραν ταύτην.
1:19ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου· καὶ δὸς αἰνέσεις ἐν τῷ στόματι τῶν καταπεπτωκότων καὶ συντετριμμένων τὰς ψυχάς, ποιήσας ἡμῖν εἰρήνην.
1:20Ἐυταῦθα ὁ πάντων ἐπόπτης θεὸς καὶ προπάτωρ ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις A εἰσακούσας τῆς ἐνθέσμου λιτανείας, τὸν ὕβρει καὶ θράσει μεγάλως ἐπηρμένον ἐμάστιξεν αὐτόν,
1:21ἔυθεν καὶ ἔνθεν κραδάνας αὐτὸν ὡς κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου, ὥστε κατʼ ἐδάφους ἄπρακτον ἔτι καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν παραλελυμένον, μηδὲ φωνῆσαι δύνασθαι δικαίᾳ πεπληγμένον κρίσει.
1:22ὅθεν οἵ τε φίλοι καὶ σωματοφύλακες ὀξεῖαν ἰδόντες τὴν καταλαβοῦσαν αὐτὸν εὔθυναν, φοβούμενοι μὴ καὶ τὸ ζῆν ἐκλείπῃ, ταχέως αὐτὸν ἐξείλκυσαν ὑπερβάλλοντι καταπεπληγμένοι φόβῳ.
1:23ἐν χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον ἀναλεξάμενος αὑτόν, οὐδαμῶς εἰς μετάμελον ἦλθεν ἐπιτιμηθείς, μετὰ ἀπειλῆς δὲ πικρᾶς θέμενος ἀνέλυσεν.
1:24Διακομισθεὶς δὲ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καὶ τὰ τῆς κακίας ἐπαύξων, διά τε τῶν προαποδεδιγμένων συνποτῶν καὶ ἑταίρων τοῦ παντὸς δικαίου κεχωρισμένων,
1:25οὐ μόνον ταῖς ἀναριθμήτοις ἀσελγίαις διηρκέσθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον θράσους προῆλθεν, ὥστε δυσφημίας ἐν τοῖς τόποις συνίστασθαι, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν φίλων ἀτενίζοντας εἰς τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως πρόθεσιν καὶ αὐτοὺς ἕπεσθαι τῇ ἐκείνου θελήσει.
1:26προέθετο δημοσίᾳ κατὰ τοῦ ἔθνους διαδοῦναι ψόγον· ἐπὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν αὐλὴν πύργου στήλην ἀναστήσας, ἐκόλαψεν γραφήν
1:27Μηδένα τῶν μὴ θυόντων ἐπὶ τὰ ἱερὰ αὐτῶν εἰσιέναι, πάντας δὲ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰς λαογραφίαν καὶ οἰκετικὴν διάθεσιν ἀχθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ ἀντιλέγοντας βίᾳ φερομένους τοῦ ζῇν μεταστῆσαι·
1:28τούς τε ἀπογραφομένους χαράσσεσθαι καὶ διὰ πυρὸς εἰς τὸ σῶμα παρασήμῳ Διονύσου κισσοφύλλῳ· οὓς καὶ προκαταχωρίσαι εἰς τὴν προσυνεσταλμένην αὐθεντίαν.
1:29ἵνα δὲ μὴ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀπεχθόμενος φαίνηται, ὑπέγραψεν Ἐὰν δέ τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν προαιρῶνται ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τελετὰς μεμυημένοις ἀναστρέφεσθαι, τούτους ἰσοπολίτας Ἀλεξανδρεῦσιν εἶναι.
1:30Ἔνιοι μὲν ἐπιπολαίως τὰς τῆς πόλεως εὐσεβείας ἐπιβάθρας στυγοῦντες, εὐχερῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἐδίδοσαν, ὡς μεγάλης τινὸς κοινωνήσοντες εὐκλείας ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσομένης τῷ βασιλεῖ συναναστροφῆς.
1:31οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι γενναίᾳ ψυχῇ ἐνίσχυσαν, καὶ οὐ διέστησαν τῆς εὐσεβείας· τά τε χρήματα περὶ τοῦ ζῇν ἀντικαταλλασσόμενοι ἀδεῶς ἐπειρῶντο ἑαυτοὺς ῥύσασθαι ἐκ τῶν ἀπογραφῶν.
1:32εὐέλπιδές τε καθιστήκεισαν ἀντιλήμψεως τεύξασθαι, καὶ τοὺς ἀποχωροῦντας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐβδελύσσοντο, καὶ ὡς πολεμίους τοῦ ἔθνους ἔκρινον, καὶ τῆς κοινῆς συναναστροφῆς καὶ εὐχρηστίας ἐστέρουν.
Chapter 2
2:1Ἃ καὶ μεταλαμβάνων ὁ δυσσεβὴς ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐξεχόλησεν ὥστε οὐ μόνον τοῖς κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ὀργίζεσθαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ βαρυτέρως ἐναντιωθῆναι, καὶ προστάξαι σπεύδοντας συναγαγεῖν πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, καὶ χειρίστῳ μόρῳ τοῦ ζῆν μεταστῆσαι.
2:2τούτων δὲ οἰκονομουμένων φήμη δυσμενὴς ἐξέκειτο κατὰ τοῦ γένους ἀνθρώποις συμφρονοῦσιν εἰς κακοποίησιν, ἀφορμῆς δὲ διδομένης εἰς διάθεσιν, ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ τῶν νομίμων αὐτοὺς κωλυόντων.
2:3οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν μὲν πρὸς τοὺς βασιλεῖς εὔνοιαν καὶ πίστιν ἀδιάστροφον ἦσαν φυλάσσοντες·
2:4σεβόμενοι δὲ τὸν θεόν, καὶ τῷ τούτου νόμῳ πολιτευόμενοι, χωρισμὸν ἐποίουν ἐπὶ τῷ κατὰ τὰς τροφάς. δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἔνιοι ἀπεχθεῖς ἐφαίνοντο·
2:5τῇ δὲ τῶν δικαίων εὐπραξίᾳ κοσμοῦντες τὴν συναναστροφήν, ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις εὐδόκιμοι καθειστήκεισαν.
2:6τὴν μὲν οὖν περὶ τοῦ γένους ἐν πᾶσιν θρυλουμένην εὐπραξίαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι οὐδαμῶς διηριθμήσαντο·
2:7τὴν δὲ περὶ τῶν προσκυνήσεων καὶ τροφῶν διάστασιν ἐθρύλουν, φάσκοντες μήτε τῷ βασιλεῖ μήτε ταῖς δυνάμεσιν ὁμοσπόνδους τοὺς ἀνθρώπους γίνεσθαι, δυσμενεῖς δὲ εἶναι καὶ μέγα τι τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐναντιουμένους· καὶ οὐ τῷ τυχόντι περιήψαντο φόβῳ.
2:8Οἱ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν Ἕλληνες οὐδὲν ἠδικημένοι, ταραχὴν ἀπροσδόκητον περὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας θεωροῦντες καὶ συνδρομὰς ἀπροσκόπους γινομένας, βοηθεῖν μὲν οὐκ ἔσθενον· τυραννικὴ γὰρ ἦν ἡ διάθεσις· παρεκάλουν δὲ καὶ δυσφόρως εἶχον, καὶ μεταπεσεῖσθαι ταῦτα ὑπελάμβανον·
2:9μὴ γὰρ οὕτω παροραθήσεσθαι τηλικοῦτο σύστεμα μηδὲν ἠγνοηκός.
2:10ἤδη δὲ καί τινες γείτονές τε καὶ φίλοι καὶ συνπραγματευόμενοι, μυστικῶς τινας ἐπισπώμενοι, πίστεις v33 καθειστηκεισαν Vᵃ | αντιλημψεως] αντι sup ras Aa αντιληψ. V | τευξεσθαι V | συν|αναστρ. V* συ|ναναστρ. Vᵃ III 1 εξεχολησεν] εχολησεν V | Αλεξανδριαν V* (-δρειαν Vᵃ) | σπευσαντας V 2 οικονομου- μενων] οικοδομ. A εξεκειτο] εξηχειτο V συμφρονουσιν (συνφρ. V* )] συμ- φοραν ουσιν (sic) A 4 δε] δη V | καταστροφας A 5 συν|αναστρ. V* συ|ναναστρ. Va 6 διηριθμησαντο] διερυθμησαντο V* (-θμισ. Vᵃ) 7 περιηψαν V | φοβω] ψογω V 8 ουδεν] ουδε V ανδρας] ανους V | εσθανον A | μεταπεσεισθαι· A 9 ουτως V | συστημα V 10 συμ- πραγματευομενοι· V ἐδίδουν συνασπιεῖν, καὶ πᾶν ἐκτενὲς προσοίσεσθαι πρὸς A ἀντίλημψίν.
2:11Ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὖν τῇ κατὰ τὸ παρὸν εὐημερίᾳ γεγαυρωμένος, καὶ οὐ καθορῶν τὸ τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ κράτος, ὑπολαμβάνων δὲ διηνεκῶς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ διαμένειν βουλῇ, ἔγραψεν κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐπιστολὴν τήνδε
2:12Βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ τοῖς κατʼ Αἴγυπτον καὶ κατὰ τόπον στρατηγοῖς καὶ στρατιώταις χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρῶσθαι.
2:13ἔρρωμαι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ πράγματα ἡμῶν.
2:14τῆς εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν γενομένης ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατίας, ἧς ἴστε καὶ αὐτοί, τῇ τῶν θεῶν ἀπροπτώτῳ συμμαχίᾳ κατὰ λόγον ἐπὶ τέλος ἀχθείσης,
2:15ἡγησάμεθα μὴ βίᾳ δόρατος, ἐπιεικείᾳ δὲ καὶ πολλῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τιθηνήσασθαι τὰ κατοικοῦντα Κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην ἔθνη, εὖ ποιήσαντες ἀσμένως.
2:16καὶ τοῖς κατὰ πόλεσιν ἱεροῖς ἀπονείμαντες προσόδους πλείστας, προσήχθημεν καὶ εἰς τὰ Ἰεροσόλυμα ἀναβάντες τιμῆσαι τὸ ἱερὸν τῶν ἀλιτηρίων καὶ μηδέποτε ληγόντων τῆς ἀνοίας.
2:17οἱ δὲ λόγῳ μὲν τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀποδεξάμενοι παρουσίαν, τῷ δὲ πράγματι νόθως, προθυμηθέντων ἡμῶν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν αὐτῶν καὶ τοῖς ἐκπρεπέσιν καὶ καλλίστοις ἀναθήμασιν τιμῆσαι,
2:18τύφοις φερόμενοι παλαιοτέροις, εἶρξαν ἡμᾶς τῆς εἰσόδου, λειπόμενοι τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀλκῆς, δι᾿ ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς ἅπαντας ἀνθρώπους φιλανθρωπίαν.
2:19τὴν δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς δυσμενίαν ἔκδηλον καθιστάντες, ὡς μονώτατοι τῶν ἐθνῶν βασιλεῦσιν καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν εὐεργέταις ὑψαυχενοῦντες οὐδὲν γνήσιον βούλονται φέρειν.
2:20Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῇ τούτων ἀνοίᾳ συνπεριενεχθέντες, καὶ μετὰ νίκης διακομισθέντες, καὶ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον τοῖς πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν φιλανθρώπως ἀπαντήσαντες, καθὼς ἔπρεπεν ἐποιήσαμεν.
2:21ἐν δὲ τούτοις πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοφύλους αὐτῶν ἀμνησικακίαν ἅπασιν γνωρίζοντες, διά τε τὴν συμμαχίαν καὶ τὰ πεπιστευμένα μετὰ ἁπλότητος αὐτοῖς ἀρχῆθεν μύρια πράγματα, 10 συνασπισειν V | παν] παντας Vᵃ | om εκτενες Vᵃ | αντιληψιν V v 11 υπολαμβανειν AV 12 Πτολεμεος A 14 της εις] εκ της κατα V | επιστρατειας V 15 επιεικια V (-κεια Vᵃ) | κατοικουντα] κατα V | ασμενως] μεν ως AV 16 προσ|οδους V* προ|σ. Vᵃ | προηχθημεν V | Ιερο- σολυμα] om I A* (superscr A¹) 17 την ημετεραν αποδεξαμενοι sup ras A¹ (την ημ. αποδ. την ημ. A*) αποδεξ. την ημ. V | εκπρεπεσειν V* ευπρεπεσει Vᵃ | ανθημασιν A (αναθ. V) 18 απαντας] παντας V 19 δυσμενειαν Vᵃ | καθεισταντες A καθειστωντες V* καθιστ. Va μονοτατοι V* (μονωτ. Vᵃ) | βασιλευειν A (-λευσιν V) 20 συμπεριενεχθ. Vᵃ 21 τε] δε V | μετα] margine avulso periit τα in V* με|θ. Vᵃ | πραγματα] + τολμησαντες V A ἐξαλλοιῶσαι ἐβουλήθημεν, καὶ πολιτίας αὐτοὺς Ἀλεξανδρέων καταξιῶσαι, καὶ μετόχους τῶν ἀεὶ ἱερέων καταστῆσαι.
2:22οἱ δὲ τοὐναντίον ἐκδεχόμενοι καὶ τῇ συμφύτῳ κακοηθείᾳ τὸ καλὸν ἀπωσάμενοι, διηνεκῶς δὲ εἰς τὸ φαῦλον ἐκνεύοντες,
2:23οὐ μόνον ἀπεστρέψαντο τὴν ἀτίμητον πολιτίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βδελύσσονται λόγῳ τε καὶ σιγῇ τοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς ὀλίγους πρὸς ἡμᾶς γνησίως διακειμένους, παρʼ ἕκαστα ὑφορώμενοι μετὰ τῆς δυσκλεεστάτης ἐμβιώσεως διὰ τάχους ἡμᾶς καταστρέψαι τὰ πράγματα.
2:24διὸ καὶ τεκμηρίοις καλῶς πεπεισμένοι τούτους κατὰ πάντα δυσνοεῖν ἡμῖν τρόπον, καὶ προνοούμενοι μή ποτε ἐφνιδίου μετέπειτα ταραχῆς ἐνστάσης ἡμῖν τοὺς δυσσεβεῖς τούτους κατὰ νώτου προδότας καὶ βαρβάρους ἔχωμεν πολεμίους·
2:25προστετάχαμεν ἅμα τῷ προσπεσεῖν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τήνδε, αὐθωρεὶ τοὺς ἐννεμομένους σὺν ταῖς γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις μετὰ ὕβρεως καὶ σκυλμῶν ἀποστεῖλαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐν δεσμοῖς σιδηροῖς πάντοθεν κατακεκλεισμένους, εἰς ἀνήκεστον καὶ δυσκλεῆ πρέποντα δυσμενέσι φόνον.
2:26τούτων γὰρ ὁμοῦ κολασθέντων, διειλήφαμεν εἰς τὸν ἐπίλοιπον χρόνον τελείως ἡμῖν τὰ πράγματα ἐν εὐσταθείᾳ καὶ τῇ βελτίστῃ διαθέσει κατασταθήσεσθαι.
2:27ὃς δ᾿ ἂν σκεπάσῃ τινὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπὸ γεραιοῦ μέχρι νηπίου καὶ μέχρι τῶν ὑπομαστιαίων, ἐχθίσταις βασάνοις ἀποτυμπανισθήσεται πανοικίᾳ·
2:28μηνύειν δὲ τὸν βουλόμενον ἐφʼ ᾧ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ ἐμπίπτοντος ὑπὸ τὴν εὔθυναν λήμψεται, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βασιλείου δραχμὰς δισχιλίας, καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας στεφανωθήσεται.
2:29πᾶς δὲ τόπος, οὗ ἐὰν φωραθῇ τὸ σύνολον σκεπαζόμενος Ἰουδαῖος, ἄβατος καὶ πυριφλεγὴς γινέσθω, καὶ πάσῃ θνητῇ φύσει καθʼ ἅπαν ἄχρηστος φανήσεται εἰς τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον.
2:30καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τύπος οὕτως ἐγέγραπτο.
Chapter 3
3:1Πάντη δὲ ὅπου προσέπιπτεν τοῦτο τὸ πρόσταγμα, δημοτελὴς συνίστατο τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὖν εὐωχία μετὰ ἀλαλαγμῶν καὶ χαρᾶς, ὡς V21 εβουλευμεν V* (superscr θη V¹) | πολιτιας (-τειας Vᵃ)] pr της Va salt | Αλεξανδρειων V* vid (-δρεων Vᵃ) | om και μετοχους…καταστησαι V 22 εκνευοντες] εκ νεοτητος V 23 πολιτειαν Va | periit εν in V* neque suppl Vᵃ 24 τεκμηριων V* vid (-ριον Vᵃ) | πεπεισμενοι] πεπιστευμενοι V | προσνοουμ. V | αιφνιδιου V | εστασης A εν…σης V* ενουσης Vᵃ | νωτου] νοτον Va vid | εχομεν V 25 αυθωρι V | γυναιξιν V* (-ξι Vᵃ) | και 1⁰] pr τε V | κατακεκλεισμενοις AV | φονον] φοβον V 26 διεληφαμεν A | ευσταθια V* (-θεια Vᵃ) | βελτιστη] κρατιστη V 27 γηραιου Vᵃ | om και V | υπομασθιων V | εχθισταις] αισχισταις V 28 βασιλειον] βασιλικου αργυριου V 29 σπαζομενοι V* (σκεπαζ. V¹) | om Ιουδαιος V | καθ απαν] κατα παντα V | αχριστος V IV 1 om ουν V ἂν τῆς προκατεσκιρωμένης αὐτοῖς πάλαι κατὰ διάνοιαν, μετὰ παρv A νῦν ἐκφαινομένης ἀπεχθείας.
3:2τοῖς δὲ Ἰουδαίοις ἄλεκτον πένθος ἦν καὶ πανόδυρτος μετὰ δακρύων βοή, στεναγμοῖς πεπυρωμένης πάντοθεν αὐτῶν τῆς καρδίας, ὀλοφυρομένων τὴν ἀπροσδόκητον ἐξαίφνης αὐτοῖς ἐπικριθεῖσαν ὀλεθρίαν.
3:3τίς νομὸς ἢ πόλις, ἢ τίς τὸ σύνολον οἴκτιστος τόπος, ἢ τίνες ἀγυιαὶ κοπετοῦ καὶ γόων ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐνεπιπλῶντο;
3:4οὕτως γὰρ μετὰ πικρίας ἀνοίκτου ψυχῆς ὑπὸ τῶν κατὰ πόλιν στρατηγῶν ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐξαπεστέλλοντο, ὥστε ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐξάλλοις τιμωρίαις καί τινας τῶν ἐχθρῶν λαμβάνοντας πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὸν κοινὸν ἔλεον, καὶ λογιζομένους τὴν ἄδηλον τοῦ βίου καταστροφήν, δακρύειν αὐτῶν τὴν δυσάθλιον ἐξαποστολήν.
3:5ἤγετο γὰρ γέρων πλήρης πολιᾶς πεπυκασμένος τὴν ἐκ τοῦ γήρως νωθρότητα ποδῶν ἐπικύφων, ἀνατροπῆς ὁρμῇ βιαίας, ἁπάσης αἰδοῦς ἄνευ πρὸς ὀξείαν καταχρώμενος πορείαν.
3:6αἱ δὲ ἄρτι πρὸς βίου κοινωνίαν γαμικὸν ὑπεληλυθυῖαι παστὸν νεάνιδες ἀντὶ τέρψεως μεταλαβοῦσαι γόους, καὶ κόνει τὴν μυροβρεχῆ πεφυρμέναι κόμην, ἀκαλύπτως δὲ ἀγόμεναι, θρῆνον ἀνθʼ ὑμεναίων ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐξῆρχον, ὡς ἐσπαραγμέναι σκύμνοις ἀλλοεθνέσιν·
3:7δέσμιαι δὲ δημοσίᾳ μέχρι τῆς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἐμβολῆς εἵλκοντο μετὰ βίας.
3:8οἱ δὲ τούτων συνζυγεῖς βρόχους ἀντὶ στεφέων τοὺς αὐχένας περιπεπλεγμένοι μετὰ ἀκμαίας νεανικῆς ἡλικίας, ἀντὶ εὐωχίας καὶ νεωτερικῆς ῥᾳθυμίας τὰς ἐπιλοίπους τῶν γάμων ἡμέρας ἐν θρήνοις διῆγον, παρὰ πόδας ἤδη τὸν ᾅδην ὁρῶντες κείμενον.
3:9κατήχθησαν δὲ θηρίων τρόπον ἀγόμενοι σιδηροδέσμοις ἀνάγκαις· οἱ μὲν τοῖς ζυγοῖς τῶν πλοίων προσηλωμένοι τοὺς τραχήλους, οἱ δὲ τοὺς πόδας ἀρρήκτοις κατησφαλισμένοι πέδαις,
3:10ἔτι καὶ τῷ καθύπερθε πυκνῷ σανιδώματι διακειμένῳ, ὅπως πάντοθεν ἐσκοτισμένοι τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, ἀγωγὴν ἐπιβούλων ἐν παντὶ τῷ κατάπλῳ λαμβάνωσιν.
3:11Τούτων δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν λεγομένην Σχεδίαν ἀχθέντων, καὶ τοῦ παράπλου περανθέντος, 1 προκατασκειρωμενης A -σκηρ. V απεχθειας] απεχθ.. V 2 αλη- V κτον Vᵃ vid | πανοδυρκτος A | επεισκριθεισαν V 3 οἰκτιστὸ[ς] (sic) V | αυτοις] αυ suppl Va | om ουκ ενεπιπλωντο A | ενεπιμπλ. Va 4 πικρας V | ανοικτου] pr και Vᵃ | ομοθυμαδον] ο 1⁰ suppl Vᵃ | εξαλλοις] εξαλληλοις (ε|ξ. V* εξ. Vᵃ) V 5 γερων] γηραιων V | πληρης πολιας] πληθος πολια V | πεπυκασμενων AV | επικουφον A επικυφον V | εξιαν A | καταχρωμεν A καταχρωμενον V | ποριαν V* (-ρειαν Vᵃ) 6 μεταβαλουσαι V | πεφυρ- μεναι] πεφρυγμεναι V | αλλοεθνεσι V 7 δημοσι· α (sic) A 8 δε] τε V | συζυγεις V | βροχοις V | περιπεπλεγμενων V*vid (-μενοι V1(vid) ακμαια V | (-ας Vᵃ) νεανικης] pr κ V* (om Vᵃ) 9 αγομενοις A | σιδη- ροδεσμιοι V | κατεσφαλισμενοι V 10 κατʼ υπερθε AV* καθυπερθε| Vᵃ 11 αχθεντων] αναχθ. V | περαθεντος A* (περανθ. A¹) A καθὼς ἦν δεδογματισμένον τῷ βασιλεῖ, προσέταξεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἱπποδρόμῳ παρεμβαλεῖν ἀπλάτῳ καθεστῶτι περιμέτρῳ, καὶ πρὸς παραδιγματισμὸν ἄγαν εὐκαιροτάτῳ καθεστῶτι πᾶσι τοῖς καταπορευομένοις εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ τούτων εἰς τὴν χώραν στελλομένοις πρὸς ἐκδημίαν· πρὸς τὸ μηδὲ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν αὐτοῦ κοινωνεῖν μηδὲ τὸ σύνολον καταξιῶσαι περιβόλῳ.
3:12ὡς δὲ τοῦτο ἐγενήθη, ἀκούσας τοὺς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ὁμοεθνεῖς κρυβῇ ἐκπορευομένους πυκνότερον ἀποδύρεσθαι τὴν ἀκλεῆ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ταλαιπωρίαν,
3:13διοργισθεὶς προσέταξεν καὶ τούτοις ὁμοῦ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐπιμελῶς ὡς ἐκείνοις ποιῆσαι, μὴ λειπομένοις κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον τῆς ἐκείνων τιμωρίας·
3:14ἀπογραφῆναι δὲ πᾶν τὸ φῦλον ἐξ ὀνόματος, οὐκ εἰς τὴν ἔμπροσθεν βραχεῖ προδεδηλωμένην τῶν ἔργων κατὰ τρόπον λατρείαν, στρεβλωθέντας δὲ παρηγγελμέναις αἰκίαις τὸ τέλος ἀφανίσαι μιᾶς ὑπὸ καιρὸν ἡμέρας.
3:15ἐγίνετο μὲν οὖν ἡ τούτων ἀπογραφὴ μετὰ πικρᾶς σπουδῆς καὶ φιλοτίμου προσεδρίας ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου μέχρι δυσμῶν, ἀνήνυτον λαμβάνουσα τὸ τέλος ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα.
3:16Μεγάλως δὲ καὶ διηνεκῶς ὁ βασιλεὺς χαρᾷ πεπληρωμένος, συμπόσια ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν εἰδώλων συνιστάμενος, πεπληρωμένῃ πόρρω τῆς ἀληθείας φρενὶ καὶ βεβήλῳ στόματι, κωφὰ καὶ μὴ δυνάμενα αὐτοῖς λαλεῖν ἢ ἀρήγειν ἐπαινῶν, εἰς δὲ τὸν θεὸν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα λαλῶν.
3:17μετὰ δὲ τὸ προειρημένον τοῦ χρόνου διάστημα προηνέγκαντο οἱ γραμματεῖς τῷ βασιλεῖ, μηκέτι ἰσχύειν τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπογραφὴν ποιεῖσθαι διὰ τὴν ἀμέτρητον αὐτῶν πληθύν·
3:18καίπερ ὄντων ἔτι κατὰ τὴν χώραν τῶν πλειόνων, τῶν μὲν κατὰ τὰς οἰκίας ἔτι συνεστηκότων, τῶν δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τόπον, ὡς ἀδυνάτου καθεστῶτος πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐπʼ Αἴγυπτον στρατηγοῖς.
3:19ἀπειλήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῖς σκληρότερον, ὡς δεδωροκοπημένοις εἰς μηχανὴν τῆς ἐκφυγῆς, συνέβη σαφῶς αὐτὸν περὶ τούτου πιστωθῆναι,
3:20λεγόντων μετὰ ἀποδείξεως καὶ τὴν χαρτηρίαν ἤδη καὶ τοὺς γραφικοὺς καλάμους, ἐν οἷς ἐχρῶντο, ἐκλελοιπέναι.
3:21τοῦτο δὲ ἦν V11 απλετω V | παραδειγματισμον V | ευκερωτατω V* (ευκαιροτ. Vᵃ) | πασι V | τοις 2⁰] τους V | στελλομενους V | om μηδε 2⁰ A (hab V) | περιβολων V 13 om ως εκεινοις V 14 ουκ εις] εις γαρ V | κατα τροπον] καταπονον V στρεβλωθεντα A -τες V | παρηγγελμεναις] pr ταις V 15 om ουν V | η] + γη V | προσεδριας] προς ανδρειαν V | τεσσαρακ. V 16 om χαρα V | πεπλη- ρωμενος] πεπλανημ. V | επι] απο V | φρενι] φρονει A | βεβιλως V* (-βηλω Vᵃ) | κωφα] pr τα μεν V | η αρηγειν] παρηγ. V εις δε τα μη καθ. λαλων A (om V) 17 προσηνεγκαν V 18 συνεστηκοτων] νυν εστηκ. V | om και V* (superscr V¹) τον τοπον] om τον V | αδυνατου] δυνατου A | επ] υπο V 19 πιστωθη- ναι] πισθηναι V* (πεισθ. Vᵃ) 20 χαρτηραν V | εχθρω|το V*vid (εχρ. Vᵃ) ἐνέργεια τῆς τοῦ βοηθοῦντος τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ προνοίας A ἀνικήτου.
Chapter 4
4:1Τότε προσκαλεσάμενος Ἕρμωνα τὸν πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιμελείᾳ, βαρείᾳ μεμεστωμένος ὀργῇ καὶ χόλῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀμετάθετος,
4:2ἐκέλευσεν ὑπὸ τὴν ἐρχομένην 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 Ἰουδαίων.
4:3ὁ μὲν τάδε προστάσσων ἐτρέπετο πρὸς τὴν εὐωχίαν, συναγαγὼν τοὺς μάλιστα τῶν φίλων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους.
4:4ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὸ προσταγὲν ἀραρότως Ἕρμων συνετέλει.
4:5οἵ 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.
4:6οἱ δὲ πάσης σκέπης ἔρημοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, διὰ τὴν πάντοθεν περιέχουσαν αὐτοὺς μετὰ δεσμῶν ἀνάγκην,
4:7τὸν παντοκράτορα κύριον καὶ πάσης δυνάμεως δυναστεύοντα, ἐλεήμονα θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πατέρα, δυσκαταπαύστῳ βοῇ πάντες μετὰ δακρύων ἐπεκαλέσαντο, δεόμενοι
4:8τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν μεταστρέψαι βουλὴν ἀνοσίαν, καὶ ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς μετὰ μεγαλομεροῦς ἐπιφανείας ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ πόδας ἐν ἑτοίμῳ μόρου.
4:9τούτων μὲν οὖν ἡ λιτανία ἐκτενῶς ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.
4:10ὁ 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.
4:11τὸ δὲ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος κτίσμα χρόνου καλὸν ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιβαλλόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ χαριζομένου πᾶσιν, οἷς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσει, ὕπνου μέρος ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν βασιλέα·
4:12καὶ ἡδίστῳ καὶ βαθεῖ κατεσχέθη τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ δεσπότου, τῆς ἀθέσμου μὲν προθέσεως πολὺ διεσφαλμένος, τοῦ δὲ ἀμεταθέτου λογισμοῦ μεγάλως διεψευσμένος.
4:13οἵ τε Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν προσημανθεῖσαν ὥραν V 1 την των ελ. επιμελειαν V | αμεταθετον V 2 om δρακεσι V | V αγριωσαντας V | αφθονως A 3 τους μαλιστα] om τους V | εχοντας] εχου- σης V 4 αραροτως τω (το Vᵃ) προσταγεν V | Ερμων] pr τω V* (ras V?) 5 ασφαλιαν V* (-λειαν Vᵃ) 7 om και 2° V 8 μεταστρεψαι] κατα- στρεψαι V | επιφανιας V* (-νειας Vᵃ) 9 om ουν V | εκτενως η λιτανια (-νεια Vᵃ) V 10 περι τουτων] pr τα V 11 χρονου κτισμα V | θεληση Vᵃ | απεστειλεν εις τον βασιλεα subter lineas adscrips V 12 βαθει] βασει A | κατησχεθη A | ενεργια V* (-γεια Vᵃ) 13 προσ|ημανθησαν V* προ|ση- μανθεισαν Vᵃ A διαφυγόντες, τὸν ἅγιον ᾔνουν θεὸν αὐτῶν· καὶ πάλιν ἠξίουν τὸν εὐκατάλλακτον δεῖξαι μεγαλοσθενοῦς ἑαυτοῦ χειρὸς κράτος ἔθνεσιν ὑπερηφάνοις.
4:14μεσούσης δὲ ἤδη δεκάτης ὥρας σχεδόν, ὁ πρὸς ταῖς κλήσεσιν τεταγμένος, ἀθρόους τοὺς κλητοὺς ἰδών, ἔνυξεν προσελθὼν τὸν βασιλέα.
4:15καὶ μόλις διεγείρας, ὑπέδειξε τὸν τῆς συμποσίας καιρὸν ἤδη παρατρέχοντα, τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον ποιούμενος.
4:16ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς λογισάμενος, καὶ τραπεὶς εἰς τὸν πότον, ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς παραγεγονότας ἐπὶ τὴν συμποσίαν ἄντικρυς ἀνακλῖναι αὐτοῦ.
4:17οὗ καὶ γενομένου, παρῄνει εἰς εὐωχίαν δόντας ἑαυτούς, τὸ παρὸν τῆς συμποσίας ἐπὶ πολὺ γεραιρομένους εἰς εὐφροσύνην καταθέσθαι μέρος.
4:18ἐπὶ πλεῖον δὲ προσκοπτούσης τῆς ὁμιλίας, τὸν Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ βασιλεύς, μετὰ πικρίας ἀπειλῆς ἐπυνθάνετο τίνος ἕνεκεν αἰτίας ἰάθησαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν περιοῦσαν ἡμέραν περιβεβιωκότες.
4:19τοῦ δὲ ὑποδείξαντος ὅτι νυκτὸς τὸ προσταγὲν ἐπὶ τέλος ἠγιοχέναι, καὶ τῶν φίλων αὐτῶν προσμαρτυρησάντων·
4:20τὴν ὠμότητα χείρονα Φαλάριδος ἐσχηκὼς ἔφη τὸ τῆς σήμερον ὕπνῳ χάριν ἔχειν αὐτούς· ἀνυπερθέτως δὲ εἰς τὴν ὑποστέλλουσαν ἡμέραν κατὰ τὸ ὅμοιον ἑτοίμασον τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἀθεμίτων Ἰουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.
4:21εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀσμένως πάντες μετὰ χαρᾶς οἱ παρόντες ὁμοῦ συναινέσαντες, εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἕκαστος ἀνέλυσεν.
4:22καὶ οὐχ οὕτως εἰς ὕπνον κατεχρήσαντο τὸν χρόνον τῆς νυκτός, ὡς εἰς τὸ παντοίους μηχανᾶσθαι τοῖς ταλαιπώροις δοκοῦσιν ἐμπαιγμούς.
4:23Ἄρτι δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ἐκέκραγεν ὄρθριος, καὶ τὰ θηρία καθωπλικὼς ὁ Ἕρμων ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ περιστύλῳ διεκίνει.
4:24τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πλήθη συνήθροιστο πρὸς τὴν οἰκτροτάτην θεωρίαν, προσδοκῶντα τὴν πρωίαν μετὰ σπουδῆς.
4:25οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ τὸν ἀμερῆ ψυχουλκούμενοι χρόνον, πολύδακρυν ἱκετίαν ἐν μέλεσιν γοεροῖς τείνοντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδέοντο τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ πάλιν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι συντόμως.
4:26οὔπω δὲ ἡλίου βολαὶ κατεπείροντο, καὶ 13 ευκαταλακτον (sic) AV 14 δεκατης] και της V | κλισεσιν V* (κλη- σεσι Vᵃ) | τεταγμενοις A | ενυξε V 15 υπεδειξεν V* (-ξε Vᵃ) 16 αυ- τους V 17 ου και γενομενου] και γενομενος V 18 προσκοπτουσης] προβαινουσης V | πικρας V | επυνθανεντο (sic) V* (-νετα Vᵃ) ιαθησαν V* (ειαθ. Vᵃ)] ιασθ. A 19 τα προσταγεντα V ηγηοχεναι Vᵃ αυτων] αυτου V 20 Φαιλαριδος A | υπνο| Vᵃ (υπνω V*fort) ειχεν A (εχειν V) | υποστελλουσαν] επιτελουσαν V | αφανισμω V* vid -σμον Va 21 συναινεσαντες] συνεσαντες (sic) A | ανελυσε V 22 ως εις το] ωστε V | 25 δε]] τε V | τον αμερη] τινα μερη V | ψυχολκουμενοι V | πολυδακρυον V | ικετειαν Vᵃ | μελεσι V 26 ουπου A (ουπω V) | κατεσπιρωντο V* -σπειρ. Vᵃ τοῦ βασιλέως τοὺς φίλους ἐκδεχομένου, ὁ Ἑρμων παραστὰς ἐπικαλεῖ A πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον, ὑποδεικνὺς τὸ πρόθυμον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν ἑτοίμῳ κεῖσθαι.
4:27τοῦ δὲ ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ καταπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνόμῳ ἐξόδῳ, κατὰ πάντα ἀγνωσίᾳ κεκρατημένος ἐπυνθάνετο, ὅτι τὸ διασαφούμενον ἔτι αὐτῷ μετὰ σπουδῆς τετέλεσται.
4:28τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἐνέργεια τοῦ πάντα δεσποτεύοντος θεοῦ, τῶν πρὶν αὐτῷ μεμηχανημένων λήθην κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐντεθεικότος.
4:29ὑπεδείκνυεν ὁ Ἕρμων καὶ πάντες οἱ φίλοι τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις Ἡτοίμασται, βασιλεῦ, κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκτενῆ πρόθεσιν.
4:30ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν πληρωθεὶς βαρεῖ χόλῳ, διὰ τὸ περὶ τούτων προνοίᾳ θεοῦ διεσκεδάσθαι πᾶν αὐτοῦ νόημα, ἐνατενίσας μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν
4:31Ὅσοι γονεῖς παρῆσαν ἢ παίδων γόνοι, τήνδε θηρσὶν ἀγρίοις ἐσκεύασαν δαψιλῆ θοίναν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνεγκλήτων ἐμοὶ καὶ προγόνοις ἐμοῖς ἀποδεδιγμένων ὁλοσχερῆ βεβαίαν πίστιν ἐξόχως Ἰουδαίων.
4:32καίπερ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῆς συστροφίας στοργὴν καὶ τῆς χρείας, τὸ ζῇν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐστερήθης.
4:33οὕτως ὁ Ἕρμων ἀπροσδόκητον ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπήνεγκεν ἀπειλήν· καὶ τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ συνεστάλη.
4:34ὁ καθʼ εἷς δὲ τῶν φίλων σκυθρωπῶς ὑπεκρέων, τοὺς συνηθροισμένους ἀπέλυσαν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσχολίαν.
4:35οἵ τε Ἰουδαῖοι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντες, τὸν ἐπιφανῆ θεὸν Κύριον, βασιλέα τῶν βασιλευόντων, ᾔνουν, καὶ τῆσδε τῆς βοηθείας αὐτοῦ τετευχότες.
4:36Κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς νόμους ὁ βασιλεὺς συστησάμενος πᾶν τὸ συμπόσιον, εἰς εὐφροσύνην τραπῆναι παρεκάλει.
4:37τὸν δὲ Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν Ποσάκις δὲ δεῖ σοι περὶ τούτων αὐτῶν σοι προστάττειν, ἀθλιώτατε;
4:38τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔτι καὶ νῦν καθόπλισον εἰς τὴν αὕριον ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.
4:39οἱ δὲ συνανακείμενοι συγγενεῖς τὴν ἀσταθῆ διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες, προεφέροντο τάδε
4:40Βασιλεῦ, μέχρι τίνος ὣς ἡμᾶς διαπειράζεις, προστάσσων ἤδη τρίτον αὐτοὺς ἀφανίσαι, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀναλύων τὰ 26 εκδεχομενος V | επικαλει] εκαλει V | υποδεικνυων V | εν ετοι V* (εν V ετοιμη Vᵃ) 27 ανομω] παρανομω V παντα] παν V | διασαφουμενον] διμα- φουν (sic) V* δειμ. Vᵃ | τετελεσθαι V 28 ενεργεια] pr η V | πανια] pr τα V | δεσποτευοντος] δυναστευοντος V | μηχανευμενων V* μεμηχανευμ. V¹ 29 ητοιμασθαι V 31 αποδεδειγμ. V | εξοχωσῑ| (sic) A 32 στοργης A | τουτου V | εστερεθης V 33 επικινδυνον] pr και V | τη ορασει] τω θρασει V 34 απελυεν V 35 βασιλευοντων] βασιλεων V 36 τους αυτους νομους] τουτους μονους V 37 om δει V | om σοι 2° V 40 ως] + αλλογους (sic) V | τα σοι] τας οικιας A A σοὶ δεδογμένα;
4:41ὧν χάριν ἡ πόλις διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν ὀχλεῖ· καὶ πληθύουσα συστροφαῖς ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύει πολλάκις διαρπασθῆναι.
4:42Ὅθευ ὁ κατὰ πάντα Φάλαρις βασιλεὺς ἐνπληθυνθεὶς ἀλογιστίας, καὶ τὰς γινομένας πρὸς ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐν αὐτῷ μεταβολὰς τῆς ψυχῆς παρʼ οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος, ἀτελέστατον βεβαίως ὅρκον ὁρισάμενος τούτους μὲν ἀνυπερθέτως πέμψειν εἰς ᾅδην ἐν γόνασιν καὶ ποσὶν θηρίων ᾐκισμένους,
4:43ἐπιστρατεύσαντα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, ἰσόπεδον πυρὶ καὶ δόρατι στήσεσθαι διὰ τάχους, καὶ τὸν ἄβατον ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ναὸν πυρὶ πρήσαντα ἐν τάχει τῶν συντελούντων ἐκεῖ θυσίαν εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον καταστήσειν.
4:44τότε περιχαρεῖς ἀναλύσαντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς μετὰ πίστεως, διέτασσον τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐκαιροτάτους τόπους τῆς πόλεως πρὸς τὴν τήρησιν.
4:45ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὰ θηρία σχεδόν, ὡς εἶπεν, εἰς κατάστεμα μανιῶδες ἀγιοχὼς εὐωδεστάτοις πόμασιν οἴνῳ λελιβανωμένῳ, φοβερῶς κεκοσμημένα κατασκευαῖς,
4:46περὶ τὴν ἕω, τῆς πόλεως ἤδη πλήθεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις κατὰ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καταμεμεστωμένης, εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ὤτρυνε τὸν βασιλέα.
4:47ὁ 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.
4:48ὡς δὲ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐξιόντων ἐπὶ πύλην, καὶ τῆς ἑπομένης ἐνόπλου δυνάμεως τῆς τε τοῦ πλήθους πορίας κονιορτὸν ἰδόντες, καὶ βαρυηχῆ θόρυβον ἀκούσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι,
4:49ὑστάτην 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.
4:50οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν γεγενημένας ἀντιλήμψεις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ συνιδόντες, V41 συστροφας V*vid (-φαις Vᵃ) 42 Φαλαρεις A | εμπληθυνθεις Vᵃ | αλοτιαις V* (-γιστιαις V¹) ατενεστατον A* vid (ατελ. A?) αδην] αλην (sic) Avid 43 στησεσθαι] θησεσθαι V | τον αβατον] post τον ras 2 litt A? | αυτων ημιν V | πρησαντα] πρην AV | θυσιας V 45 αγηοχως Vᵃ | om φοβερως κεκοσμημενα V | κατασκευας V | + ας Va(mg) 46 καταμεμεστωμενοις A 47 εξωρμησεν V* 48 επι] περι V | om τε V | πορειας Vᵃ 49 om αυτοις V | αθλειοτατης A | περιπλεκομενην V* (-νοι V¹) συνγενουσιν V | επεπιπτον Vᵃ vid | om μητερες V | μαστων V | εχουσαι] εχοντες AV* (εχουσαι Vᵃ) | ελκοντα γαλα] ελκονται αλλ A 50 αντιληψεις V πρηνεῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ῥίψαντες ἑαυτούς, καὶ τὰ νήπια χωρίσαντες A τῶν μαστῶν,
4:51ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ σφόδρα, τὸν τῆς ἁπάσης δυνάστην ἱκετεύοντες, οἰκτεῖραι μετὰ ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἤδη πρὸς πύλαις ᾅδου καθεστῶτας.
Chapter 5
5:1Ἐλεάζαρος δέ τις ἀνὴρ ἐπίσημος τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας Ἰουδαίων ἐν πρεσβείῳ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἤδη λελογχὼς καὶ πάσῃ τῇ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημίνος, τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν καταστείλας πρεσβυτέρους ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν ἅγιον θεόν, καὶ προσηύξατο τάδε
5:2Βασιλεῦ μεγαλοκράτωρ, ὕψιστε, παντοκράτωρ θεέ, τὴν πᾶσαν διακυβερνῶν ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς κτίσιν,
5:3ἔπιδε ἐπὶ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα, ἐφʼ ἡγιασμένου τέκνα Ἰακώβ, μερίδος ἡγιασμένης σου λαὸν ἐν ξένῃ γῇ ξένον ἀδίκως ἀπολλύμενον.
5:4πάτερ, σὺ Φαραὼ πληθύνοντα ἅρμασιν τὸν πρὶν Αἰγύπτου ταύτης δυνάστην ἐπαρθέντα ἀνόμῳ θράσει καὶ γλώσσῃ μεγαλορήμονι σὺν τῇ ὑπερηφάνῳ στρατίᾷ ποντοβρόχους ἀπώλεσας, φέγγος ἐπιφάνας ἐλέους Ἰσραὴλ γένει.
5:5σὺ τὸν ἀναριθμήτοις δυνάμεσιν γαυρωθέντα Σενναχηρεὶμ βαρὺν Ἀσσυρίων βασιλέα, δόρατι τὴν πᾶσαν ὑποχείριον ἤδη λαβόντα γῆν καὶ μετεωρισθέντα ἐπὶ τὴν ἁγίαν σου πόλιν, βαρέα λαλοῦντα κόμπῳ καὶ θράσει, σύ, δέσποτα, ἔθραυσας, ἔκδηλον δεικνὺς ἔθνεσιν πολλοῖς τὸ σὸν κράτος.
5:6σὺ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν τρεῖς ἑταίρους πυρὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐθαιρέτως δεδωκότας εἰς τὸ μὴ λατρεῦσαι τοῖς κενοῖς, διάπυρον δροσίσας κάμινον, ἐρρύσω μέχρι τριχὸς ἀπημάντους, φλόγα πᾶσιν ἐπιπέμψας τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις.
5:7σὺ τὸν διαβολαῖς φθόνου λέουσι κατὰ γῆς ῥιφέντα θηρσὶν βορὰν Δανιὴλ εἰς φῶς ἀνήγαγες ἀσινῆ·
5:8τόν τε βυθοτρεφοῦς ἐν γαστρὶ κήτους Ἰωνᾶν τηκόμενον ἀφιδὼν ἀπήμαντον πᾶσιν οἰκείοις ἀναδείξας, πάτερ.
5:9καὶ νῦν, μισούβρι, πολυέλεε, τῶν ὅλων δικαστά, τάχος ἐπιφάνηθι τοῖς ἁγίοις Ἰσραὴλ γένους, ὑπὸ ἐβδελυγμένων ἀνόμων 51 σπασης] πασης δυναμεως V | επιφανιας V* (-νειας Vᵃ) καθεστωτες V* v (-τας Vᵃ) VI 1 Ιουδαιων] ιερεων V | λελοχως V | καταστειλας] κατα- τησας V* (καταστησ. Vᵃ) | om και 2° V 2 μεγαλοκρατορ Vᵃ | υψιστα A παντοκρατορ Va | οικτειρμοις V* (οικτιρμ. Vᵃ) 3 om επι V | εφ] απο V | ξενων V | απολλυμενων Va 4 πατερ συ Φαραω] υπο Φαραω sup ras Aᵃ seq spat 2 fort litt πληθυοντα V | ανομω] τω V | μεγαλωρ. V* μεγα- λορ. Vᵃ | ποντοβρυχ. V | απολεσας V* (απωλ. Vᵃ) | ελεου V* (-ους Vᵃ) 5 δυναμεσι V | γαρωθεντα V* (γαυρ. Vᵃ) Σεναχειρειμ V | βαρῡ|ν V* (ν improb Vᵃ) την πασον υποχει, [κ]αι μετεωρισθεν, βαρεα λαλουντα madore corrosa rescr Vᵃ | βαρια V* -ρεια Vᵃ | θραυσας V | δικνυεις V* (δεικνυεις Vᵃ) 6 Βαβυλωνα V | διαπυρου V | δροσισας] χρονιας V | καμινου V | ερυσω V* (ερρ. Va) | τοιχος vel τειχος A* (τριχ. A¹) | φλογα πασιν] φλογασιν (sic) A 7 βορα A 7—9 multa paene evanuere, nonnulla rescr Vᵃ 8 βυθον τρεφους (sic, sed ε rescr) V | αφιδων] αφελων V 9 μισυβρι V | δικαστα] σκεπαστα V | ταχος] pr το V | αγιοις] απο V A ἐθνῶν ὑβριζομένοις.
5:10εἰ δὲ ἀσεβείαις κατὰ τὴν ἀποικίαν ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ἐνέσχηται, ῥυσάμενος ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν χειρός, ᾧ προαιρῇ, δέσποτα, ἀπόλεσον ἡμᾶς μόρῳ.
5:11μὴ τοῖς ματαίοις οἱ ματαιόφρονες εὐλογησάτωσαν ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἠγαπημένων σου ἀπωλείᾳ, λέγοντες Οὐδὲ ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν ἐρύσατο αὐτούς.
5:12σὺ δὲ ὁ πᾶσαν ἀλκὴν καὶ δυναστείαν ἔχων ἅπασαν, αἰώνιε, νῦν ἔπιδε· ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς τοὺς καθʼ ὕβριν ἀνόμων ἀλόγιστον ἐκ τοῦ ζῇν μεθισταμένους ἐν ἐπιβούλων τρόπῳ.
5:13πτηξάτω δὲ ἔθνη σὴν δύναμιν ἀνίκητον σήμερον, ἔντιμε, δυνάμεις ἔχων ἐπὶ σωτηρίαν Ἰακὼβ γένους.
5:14ἱκετεύει σε τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος τῶν νηπίων καὶ οἱ τούτων γονεῖς μετὰ δακρύων.
5:15δειχθήτω πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν, ὅτι μεθʼ ἡμῶν εἶ, κύριε, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψας τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀφʼ ἡμῶν· ἀλλὰ καθὼς εἶπας Οὐδὲ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν ὄντων ὑπέριδον αὐτούς, οὕτως ἐπιτέλεσον, κύριε.
5:16Τοῦ δὲ Ἐλεαζάρου λήγοντος ἄρτι τῆς προσευχῆς, ὁ βασιλεὺς σὺν τοῖς θηρίοις καὶ παντὶ τῷ τῆς δυνάμεως φρυάγματι κατὰ τὸν ἱππόδρομον παρῆγεν.
5:17καὶ θεωρήσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, μέγα εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνέκραξαν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς παρακειμένους αὐλῶνας συνηχήσαντας ἀκατάσχετον πτοὴν ποιῆσαι παντὶ τῷ στρατοπέδῳ.
5:18τότε ὁ μεγαλόδοξος καὶ παντοκράτωρ καὶ ἀληθινὸς θεός, ἐπιφάνας τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ πρόσωπον, ἠνέῳξεν τὰς οὐρανίους πύλας, ἐξ ὧν δεδοξασμένοι δύο φοβεροειδεῖς ἄγγελοι κατέβησαν φανεροὶ πᾶσιν πλὴν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις,
5:19καὶ ἀντέστησαν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν ὑπεναντίων ἐπλήρωσαν ταραχῆς καὶ δειλίας καὶ ἀκινήτοις ἔδησαν πέδαις.
5:20καὶ ὑπόφρικον καὶ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως σῶμα ἐγενήθη, καὶ λήθη τὸ θράσος αὐτοῦ τὸ βαρύθυμον ἔλαβεν.
5:21καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὰ θηρία ἐπὶ τὰς συνεπομένας ἐνόπλους δυνάμεις, καὶ κατεπάτουν αὐτοὺς καὶ ὠλέθρευον.
5:22Καὶ μετεστράφη τοῦ βασιλέως ἡ ὀργὴ εἰς οἶκτον καὶ δάκρυα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῷ μεμηχανευμένων.
5:23ἀκούσας γὰρ τῆς κραυγῆς, καὶ συνιδὼν πρηνεῖς ἅπαντας εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, δακρύσας μετ᾿ ὀργῆς τοῖς φίλοις διηπειλεῖτο, λέγων
5:24Παραβασιλεύετε, καὶ τυράννους ὑπερβεβηκότες ὠμότητι· καὶ ἐμέ αὐτὸν τὸν ὑμῶν εὐεργέτην ἐπιχειρεῖτε τῆς ἀρχῆς ἤδη καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος μεθιστᾷν, λάθρα μηχανώμενοι τὰ μὴ συμφέροντα V9 υβριζομενους V 10 ω] ως V 11 om τη V | απωλια V* (-λεια Vᵃ) | ερρυσατο Vᵃ 12 ανομον V | μεθιστανομενους V 13 εντιμε] εν τινι με A | δυναμεις] δυναμει A δυναμιν V | σωτηρια V 15 om εθνεσιν V | ουδε] οτι ουδ V | υπερειδον V 17 συνηχθησαντας AV | om πτοην V 18 om και 1⁰ V 20 βαρυθμον V* (-θυμ. Vᵃ) 21 αυτας V 23 διη- πειλειτο] ηπειλειτο V* (-λητο Vᵃ) 24 υπερβεβηκετε V | εμε αυτον] εμαυτον V | τον υμων] om τον V | επιχειρητε V* (-ρειτε Vᵃ) τῇ βασιλείᾳ.
5:25τίς τοὺς κρατήσαντας ἡμῶν ἐν πίστει τὰ τῆς χώρας A ὀχυρώματα τῆς οἰκίας ἀποστήσας, ἕκαστον ἀλόγως ἤθροισεν ἐνθάδε;
5:26τίς τοὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐνοίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς κατὰ πάντα διαφέροντας πάντων ἐθνῶν, καὶ τοὺς χειρίστους πλεονάκις ἀνθρώπων ἐπιδεδιγμένους κινδύνους, οὕτως ἀθέσμως περιέβαλεν αἰκίαις;
5:27λύσατε, ἐκλύσατε ἄδικα δεσμά· εἰς τὰ ἴδια μετ᾿ εἰρήνης ἐξαποστείλατε, τὰ προστεταγμένα παραιτησάμενοι.
5:28ἀπολύσατε τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ παντοκράτορος ἐπουρανίου θεοῦ ζῶντος, ὃς ἀφʼ ἡμετέρων μέχρι τοῦ νῦν προγόνων ἀπαραπόδιστον εὐστάθειαν μετὰ δόξης προφέρει τοῖς ἡμετέροις πράγμασιν.
5:29ὁ μἐν οὖν ταῦτα ἐξέλεξεν· οἱ δὲ ἐν ἀμερεῖ χρόνῳ λυθέντες, τὸν ἅγιον σωτῆρα θεὸν αὐτῶν ηὐλόγουν, ἄρτι τὸν θάνατον ἐκπεφυγότες.
5:30Εἶτα ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν πόλιν τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν προσόδων προσκαλεσάμενος, ἐκέλευσεν οἴνους τε καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πρὸς εὐωχίαν ἐπιτήδεια τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις χορηγεῖν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἑπτά, κρίνας αὐτούς, ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἔδοξαν τὸν ὄλεθρον ἀναλαμβάνειν, ἐν τούτῳ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ πάσῃ σωτήρια ἀγαγεῖν.
5:31τότε οἱ τὸ πρὶν ἐπονείδιστοι καὶ πλησίον τοῦ ἄδου, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ βεβηκότες, ἀντὶ πικροῦ καὶ δυσατάκτου μόρου κώθωνα σωτήριον συστησάμενοι, τὸν εἰς πτῶσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ τάφον ἡτοιμασμένον τόπον κλισίας κατεμερίσαντο πλήρεις χαρμονῆς.
5:32καταλήξαντες δέ θρήνων πανόδυρτον μέλος, ἀνέλαβον ᾠδὴν πάτριον, τὸν Ἰσραὴλ σωτῆρα καὶ τερατοποιὸν αἰνοῦντες θεόν· οἰμωγὴν δὲ πᾶσαν καὶ κωκυτὸν ἀπωσάμενοι, χοροὺς συνίσταντο εὐφροσύνης εἰρηνικῆς σημεῖον.
5:33ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ τούτων συμπόσιον βαρὺ συνάγων, ἀδιαλείπτως εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνθωμολογεῖτο μεγαλομερῶς ἐπὶ τῇ παραδόξῳ γενηθείσῃ αὐτῶν σωτηρίᾳ.
5:34οἵ τε πρὶν εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ οἰωνοβρώτους αὐτοὺς ἔσεσθαι τιθέμενοι καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀπογραψάμενοι, κατεστέναξαν αἰσχύνην ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς περιβαλόμενοι, καὶ πυρόπνουν τόλμαν ἀκμαίως ἐσβεσμένοι.
5:35οἴ τε Ἰουδαῖοι, καθὼς προειρήκαμεν, συστησάμενοι τὸν προειρημένον χορόν, μετ᾿ εὐωχίας 25 τις τους κρατησαντας] της του κρατησαντος A αποστησας] αποδησας V V ενθα V 26 παντα] παντας A και] pr μεσον δε V επιδεδειγμ. V 27 προστεταγμενοι] προπεπραγμενα V 28 μετα δοξης ευσταθειαν v προ- φερει] παρεχει V 29 30 multa paene evanuere in V 29 εξελεξεν] ελεξεν V 30 πολιν] + απαλλαγεις V ευωχιαν] ευχιων (sic) V σωτηριαν V αγαγειν] αγειν V 31 πληρης V* (- ρεις Vᵃ) 32 καταληξαντες] ε sup ras Aᵃ θρηνον V πανοδ. μελος] pr και V Ισραηλ σωτηρα] Ιηλ ορα· (sic) A om σωτηρα V δε 2⁰ τε V ειρηνικης] ειρηνης V 33 συνα- γαγων V om ουτων v 34 οινοβρωτους A om και 2⁰ V απο- γραψ αμενοι] αποστρεψαμενοι V εφ] επι V περιβαλλομενοι V πυροπνουν] pr την V ακμαιως] ακλεως V 35 χορον] χρονον A χρον· (sic) V* (χορον Vᵃ) A ἐν ἐξομολογήσεσιν ἱλαραῖς καὶ ψαλμοῖς διῆγον.
5:36καὶ κοινὸν ὁρισάμενοι περὶ τούτων θεσμὸν, ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν παροικίαν αὐτῶν εἰς γενεάς, τὰς προειρημένας ἡμέρας ἅγειν ἔστησαν εὐφροσύνους, οὐ πότου χάριν καὶ λιχνείας, σωτηρίας δὲ τῆς διὰ θεὸν γενομένης αὐτοῖς.
5:37ἐνέτυχον δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ, τὴν ἀπόλυσιν αὐτῶν εἰς τὰ ἴδια αἰτούμενοι.
5:38Ἀπογράφονται δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ πέμπτης καὶ εἰκάδος τοῦ Παχὼν ἕως τῆς τετάρτης τοῦ Ἐπιφί, ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα· συνίστανται δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἀπὸ πέμπτης τοῦ Ἐπιφὶ ἕως ἑβδόμης, ἡμέραις τρισίν.
5:39ἐν αἷς καὶ μεγαλοδόξως ἐπιφάνας τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ὁ τῶν πάντων δυνάστης ἀπταίστους αὐτοὺς ἐρρύσατο ὁμοθυμαδόν.
5:40Εὐωχοῦντο δὲ πάνθʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως χορηγούμενοι μέχρι τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης, ἐν ἧ καὶ τὴν ἐντυχίαν ἐποιήσαντο περὶ τῆς ἀπολύσεως αὐτῶν.
5:41συναινέσας δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔγραψεν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ πόλιν στρατηγοὺς μεγαλοψύχως τὴν ἐκτενίαν ἔχουσαν
Chapter 6
6:1Βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ τοῖς κατʼ Aἴγυπτον στρατηγοῖς καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς τεταγμένοις ἐπὶ πραγμάτων χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρῶσθαι.
6:2ἐρρώμεθα δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν, κατευθύνοντος ἡμῖν τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ τὰ προστάγματα, καθὼς προαιρούμεθα.
6:3τῶν φίλων τινὲς κατὰ κακοήθειαν πυκνότερον ἡμῖν παρακείμενοι, συνέπεισαν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ τοὺς ὑπὸ τὴν βασιλείαν Ἰουδαίους συναθροίσαντας τὰ σνστήματα κολάζεσθαι ξενιζούσαις ἀποστάντων τιμωρίαις·
6:4προφερόμενοι μηδέποτε εὐσταθήσειν τὰ πράγματα ἡμῶν, δι᾿ ἣν ἔχουσιν οὗτοι πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη δυσμενίαν, μέχρι ἄν συντελεσθῇ τοῦτο.
6:5οἴ καὶ δεσμίους καταγαγόντες αὐτοὺς μετὰ σκυλμῶν ὡς ἀνδράποδα, μᾶλλον δὲ ὡς ἐπιβούλους, ἄνευ πάσης ἀνακρίσεως καὶ ἐξετάσεως ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνελεῖν, νόμου Σκυθῶν ἀγριοτέραν ἐνπεπηρμένοι ὠμότητα.
6:6ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοις σκληρότερον διαπειλησάμενοι, καθʼ ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς ἄπαντας ἀνθρώπους ἐπιεικίαν, μόγις τὸ ζῆν αὐτοῖς χαριζόμενοι, καὶ τὸν ἐπουράνιον θεὸν ἐγνωκότες ἀσφαλῶς ὑπερησπικότα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, V36 λιχνιας V 38 εικαδος] ος sup ras V? | om του ΙΙαχων V Επιφει (1⁰) A om επι V ημερας V* (-ραις Vᵃ) 39 om αυτους V 40 πανθ] π sup ras A? 41 δε] τε V VII 1 ερρωσθε A 2 κατευθυναντος V προσταγματα] πραγματα V καθως προαιρ.] καθωσπερ αιρ. V 3 των φιλων] pr και V om κατα V συνεπεισαν] επεισαν V τα συστηματα] om τα V | κολασασθαι V αποστατων V 4 μηδεποτε] μηποτε V εθνη] pr παντα V δυσμενειαν Vᵃ om αν V 5 καταγαγοντες] συναγαγοντες V επεχειρησαν] προεπεχ. V om ανελειν V ενπεπηρμενοι] ενπεπορπημενοι V ωμοτητα] ωμ rescr Vᵃ 6 δε] γε V απαντας] παντας V επιεικειαν Vᵃ χαρισαμενοι V ὡς πατέρα ὑπέρ υἱῶν διὰ παντὸς συμμαχοῦντα,
6:7τὴν τε τοῦ φίλου A ἣν ἔχουσιν βεβαίαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς προγόνους ἡμῶν εὔνοιαν ἀναλογισάμενοι, δικαίως ἀπολελύκαμεν πάσης καθʼ ὁντινοῦν αἰτίας τρόπον.
6:8καὶ προστετάχαμεν ἑκάστῳ πάντας εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἐπιστρέφειν, ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ μηθενὸς αὐτοὺς τὸ σύνολον καταβλάπτοντος, μήτε ὀνειδίζοντος περὶ τῶν γεγενημένων παρὰ λόγον.
6:9γινώσκετε γὰρ ὅτι κατὰ τούτων ἐάν τι κακοτεχνήσωμεν πονηρόν, ἢ ἐπιλυπήσωμεν αὐτοὺς τὸ σύνολον, οὐκ ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸν πάσης δεσπόζοντα δυνάρεως θεὸν ὕψιστον ἀντικείμενον ἡμῖν ἐπʼ ἐκδίκησιν τῶν πραγμάτων κατὰ πᾶν ἀφεύκτως διὰ παντὸς ἕξομεν. ἔρρωσθε.
6:10Δαβόντες δὲ·τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην, οὐκ ἐσπούδασαν εὐθέως περὶ τὴν ἄφοδον, ἀλλὰ τὸν βασιλέα προσηξίωσαν τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ γένους τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν ἅγιον θεὸν αὐθαιρέτως παραβεβηκότας τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν νόμον, τυχεῖν δι᾿ αὐτῶν τῆς ὀφειλομένης κολάσεως·
6:11προφερόμενοι τοὺς γαστρὸς ἕνεκεν τὰ θεῖα παραβεβηκότας προστάγματα μηδέποτε εὐνοήσειν μηδὲ τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως προστάγμασιν.
6:12ὁ δὲ τἀληθές αὐτοὺς λέγειν παραδεξάμενος καὶ παραινέσας, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἄδειαν πάντων, ὅπως τοὺς παραβεβηκότας τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν νόμον ἐξολεθρεύσωσιν κατὰ πάντα τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ τόπον μετὰ παρρησίας, ἄνευ πάσης βασιλικῆς ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπισκέψεως.
6:13τότε κατευφημήσαντες αὐτόν, ὡς πρέπον ἦν, οἱ τούτων ἱερεῖς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος, ἐπιφωνήσαντες τὸ ἁλληλουιά, μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀνέλυσαν·
6:14οὗτοί τε τὸν ἐμπεσόντα τῶν μεμιαμμένων ὁμοεθνῆ κατὰ τὴν ὀδὸν ἀπέκτεννον, καὶ μετὰ παραδιγματισμῶν ἀνήρουν.
6:15ἐκείνῃ δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἀνεῖλον ὑπέρ τοὺς τριακοσίους ἄνδρας, ἣν καὶ ἤγαγον εὐφροσύνην μετὰ χαρᾶς βεβήλους χειρωσάμενοι.
6:16αὐτοὶ δὲ οἱ μέχρι θανάτου τὸν θεὸν ἐσχηκότες, παντελῆ σωτηρίαν ἀπόλυσιν ἐσχηκότες, ἀνέζευξαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως 6 πατερα] πηρ (sic) V 7 ην] pr δι A V εχουσι V απελυσαμεν V om V πασης V καθ οντινα ουν Vᵃ 8 τροπω] τοπω V |μηθεν A μηδενος V αυτοις V ονειδιζοντος] ονειδιζειν V γεγενημενων] γενομενων V 9 κακοτεχνασωμεν V εκδικησει V ερρωσθαι A V* (-σθε Vᵃ) 10 ευθεως] + γενεσθαι V αφοδον] ανωδον V (ανοδ. Vᵃ) βασιλεως A προσηξιωσαν] ξιω sup ras Aᵃ αυθετως V* (-θαιρετως Vᵃ) δια την A (δι ουτων V) οφειλομενης] οφιλουσης V (οφειλ. Vᵃ) 11 προσταγμασιν] πραγμασιν V 12 εξολοθρευσωσιν V* (-σι Vᵃ) την βασιλειαν V και 2⁰] η V 13 το αλλ.] pr τον A 14 ουτοι] ουτως V μεμιασμενων V ομοεθνει V* (- νῃ Vᵃ) απεκτεννον] εκολαζοντο V παραδειγμ. V 15 om ην V χειρωσαμενοι] κεχειρωμενοι V 16 σωτη- ριαν απολυσιν]ʼ σωτηριας απολαυσιν V εσχηκοτες 2⁰| ειληφοτες V ανεζευξεν A Οm ευωδεστατοις V ανθεσι V A βοῆς, ἐν αἴνοις καὶ πανμελέσιν ὕμνοις εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν ἁγίῳ σωτῆρι τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
6:17Παραγενηθέντες δὲ εἰς Πτολεμαίδα τὴν ὀνομαζομένην διὰ τὴν τοῦ τόπου ἰδιότητα ῥοδοφόρον, ἐν ᾖ προσέμεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ στόλος κατὰ κοινὴν αὐτῶν βουλὴν ἡμέρας ἑπτά,
6:18ἐκεῖ ἐποίησαν πότον σωτηρίου, τοῦ βασιλέως χορηγήσαντος αὐτοῖς εὐψύχως τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἄφιξιν πάντα ἑκάστῳ ἕως ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν οἰκίαν.
6:19καταχθέντες δέ μετʼ εἰρήνης ἐν ταῖς πρεπούσαις ἐξομολογήσεσιν, ὡσαύτως κἀκεῖ ἔστησαν καὶ ταύτας ἄγειν τὰς ἡμέρας ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς παροικίας αὐτῶν χρόνον εὐφροσύνους·
6:20ἃς καὶ ἀνιερώσαντες ἐν στήλῃ, κατὰ τὸν τῆς συμποσίας τόπον προσευχῆς καθιδρύσαντες, ἀνέλυσαν ἀσινεῖς, ἐλεύθεροι, ὑπερχαρεῖς, διά τε γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης καὶ ποταμοῦ ἀνασωζόμενοι τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιταγῇ, ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν
6:21ἔμπροσθεν, ἐν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐξουσίαν ἐσχηκότες μετὰ δόξης καὶ φόβου, τὸ σύνολον ὑπὸ μηδενὸς διασεισθέντες τῶν ὑπαρχόντων.
6:22καὶ πάντα τὰ ἑαυτῶν πάντες ἐκομίσαντο ἐξ ἀπογραφῆς, ὥστε τοὺς ἔχοντάς τι μετὰ φόρου μεγίστου ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς, τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ ποιήσαντος τελέως ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ αὐτῶν.
6:23Εὐλογητὸς ὁ ῥύστης Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τοὺς ἀεὶ χρόνους. ἀμήν.
Chapter 0
0:1Ο ΔΕ Φιλοπάτωρ παρὰ τῶν ἀνακομισθέντων μαθὼν τὴν γινομένην A τῶν ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ κρατουμένων τόπων ἀφαίρεσιν ὑπὸ Ἀντιόχου, παραγγείλας ταῖς πάσαις δυνάμεσιν πεζικαῖς καὶ ἱππικαῖς, καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν Ἀρσινόην συνπαραλαβών, ἐξώρμησεν μέχρι τῶν κατὰ Ῥαφίαν τόπων, ὅπου παρεμβεβλήκεισαν οἱ περὶ Ἀντίοχον.
0:2Θεόδοτος δέ τις ἐκπληρῶσαι τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν διανοηθείς, παραλαβὼν τῶν προυποτεταγμένων αὐτῷ ὅπλων Πτολεμαικῶν τὰ κράτιστα, διεκομίσθη νύκτωρ ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ Πτολεμαίου σκηνήν, ὡς μόνος κτεῖναι αὐτόν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ διαλῦσαι τὸν πόλεμον.
0:3τοῦτον δὲ διάγων Δωσίθεος ὁ Δριμύλου λεγόμενος, τὸ γένος Ἰουδαῖος, ὕστερον δὲ μεταβαλὼν τὰ νόμιμα καὶ τῶν πατρίων δογμάτων ἀπηλλοτριωμένος, ἄσημόν τινα κατέκλινεν ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ, ὃν συνέβη κομίσασθαι τὴν ἐκείνου κόλασιν.
0:4γενομένης δὲ καρτερᾶς μάχης καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων μᾶλλον ἐρρωμένων τῷ Ἀντιόχῳ, ἱκανῶς ἡ Ἀρσινόη ἐπιπορευσαμένη τὰς δυνάμεις παρεκάλει μετὰ οἴκτου καὶ δακρύων, τοὺς πλοκάμους λελυμένη, βοηθεῖν ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις καὶ ταῖς γυναιξὶν θαρραλέως, ἐπαγγελλομένη δώσειν νικήσασιν ἑκάστῳ δύο μνᾶς χρυσίου·
0:5καὶ οὕτως συνέβη τοὺς ἀντιπάλους ἐν χειρονομίαις διαφθαρῆναι, πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ δοριαλώτους συλλημφθῆναι.
0:6κατακρατήσας δὲ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἔκρινεν τὰς πλησίον πόλεις ἐπελθὼν παρακαλέσαι.
0:7ποιήσας δὲ τοῦτο, καὶ τοῖς τεμένεσι δωρεὰς ἀπονείμας, εὐθαρσεῖς τοὺς ὑποτεταγμένους Inscr Μακκαβαιων λογος γ΄ A Μακκ. γ΄ V I 1 ακομισθεντων V* v (αποκομ. Va) | γενομενην V | επ] υπ V | συμπαραλαβων V | Αντιοχον] pr τον V 2 εκπληρωσαι] πληρωσαι V | οπλων] τοπων A* (οπλ. A¹) 3 διαγαγων V | Δοσιθεος Vᵃ | Δρυμυλου V* (Δριμ. V¹?) μεταλαβων V* (μεταβαλ. Vᵃ) 4 καρτερας] και ετερας V | Αντιωχω (sic V*) ικανως· V | πλοκαμους] πολεμους A | εαυτον V* (-τοις V¹) | ταις γυναιξιν] om ταις V 5 ουτως] τουτως (sic ut vid) A | αντιπαους V* (-παλ. V¹) | δοριαλωτους (δορυαλ. Va)] ροδιαλωτους (sic) A | συλληφθ. V 7 δωρεαν V | απονειμα· A A κατέστησεν.
0:8Τῶν δὲ Ἰουδαίων διαπεμψαμένων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γερουσίας καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοὺς ἀσπασομένους αὐτὸν καὶ ξένια κομιοῦντας καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν χαρησομένους, συνέβη μᾶλλον αὐτὸν προθυμηθῆναι, ὡς τάχιστα πρὸς αὐτοὺς παραγενέσθαι.
0:9διακομισθεὶς δὲ εἰς Ἰεροσόλυμα, καὶ θύσας τῷ πιστῷ θεῷ καὶ χάριτας ἀποδιδοὺς καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς τι τῷ τόπῳ ποιήσας, καὶ δὴ παραγενόμενος εἰς τὸν τόπον καὶ τῇ σπουδαιότητι καὶ εὐσεβείᾳ καταπληγείς,
0:10θαυμάσας δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἱεροῦ εὐταξίαν, ἐνεθυμήθη βουλεύσασθαι εἰς τὸν ναὸν εἰσελθεῖν.
0:11τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων μὴ καθήκειν γίνεσθαι τοῦτο, διὰ τὸ μηδὲ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εἰσιέναι, μηδὲ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ἀλλʼ ἢ μόνῳ τῷ προηγουμένῳ πάντων ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ τούτῳ κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἅπαξ, ὁ δὲ οὐδαμῶς ἐπείθετο.
0:12τοῦ τε νόμου παραναγνωσθέντος, οὐδ᾿ ὣς ἀπέλειπεν προφερόμενος ἑαυτὸν δεῖν εἰσελθεῖν, λέγων Καὶ εἰ ἐκεῖνοι ἐστέρηνται ταύτης τῆς τιμῆς, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ δεῖ.
0:13καὶ ἐπυνθάνετο διὰ τίνα αἰτίαν αὐτὸν εἰσερχόμενον εἰς πᾶν τέμενος οὐθεὶς ἐκώλυσεν τῶν παρόντων.
0:14καί τις ἀπρονοήτως ἔφη κακῶς αὐτὸ τοῦτο τερατεύεσθαι·
0:15γινομένου δέ, φησίν, τούτου, διὰ τίνα αἰτίαν οὐχὶ πάντων εἰσελεύσεσθαι, καὶ θελόντων αὐτῶν καὶ μή;
0:16Τῶν δὲ ἱερέων ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐσθήσεσιν προσπεσόντων, καὶ δεομένων τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ βοηθεῖν τοῖς ἐνεστῶσιν, καὶ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ κακῶς ἐπιβαλλομένου μεταθεῖναι, κραυγῆς τε μετὰ δακρύων τὸ ἱερὸν ἐμπλησάντων,
0:17οἱ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἀπολειπόμενοι ταραχθέντες ἐξεπήδησαν, ἄδηλον τιθέμενοι τὸ γινόμενον.
0:18αἵ τε κατάκλειστοι παρθένοι ἐν θαλάμοις σὺν ταῖς τεκούσαις ἐξώρμησαν· καὶ ἀπέδωκαν κόνει τὰς κόμας πασάμεναι, πού γε καὶ στεναγμῶν ἐνεμπίπλων τὰς πλατείας.
0:19αἱ δὲ καὶ προσαρτίως ἐσταλμέναι, τοὺς πρὸς ἅπαν νῦν διατεταγμένους καὶ τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν αἰδὼ παραλείπουσαι, δρόμον ἄτακτον συνίσταντο,
0:20τὰ δὲ νεογνὰ τῶν τέκνων αἱ πρὸς τούτοις μητέρες καὶ τιθηνοὶ παραλείπουσαι ἄλλως καὶ ἄλλως, αἱ μὲν κατʼ οἴκους, αἱ δὲ κατὰ τὰς ἀγυιὰς ἀνεπιστρέπτως εἰς τὸ πανυπέρτατον ἱερὸν ἠθροίζοντο.
0:21ποικίλη δὲ ἦν τῶν εἰς τοῦτο συλλεγέντων V7 καταστησαι V 8 συμβεβηκοσι V | χαρισ. V* (χαρησ. Vᵃ) | προς 2⁰] παρ V 9 πιστω] μεγιστω V | τοπω] τοπον A | ευσεβεια] ευπρεπεια V | καταπλαγεις V 11 εθνεσιν] εκ του εθνους V 12 παραγνωσθ. A V | ουδ ως] ουδαμως V | εκεινω (sic) A 13 δια τινα] ατινα (sic) A | τετεμενος (sic) A | ουδεις V | διεκωλυσεν V* -σε Va 15 γενομενου V | παντες V 16 προπεσοντων V* (προσπ. Vᵃ) | μεγιστου] μεγαλου V | τε] δε V 18 πασσ. Vᵃ | που γε] γοου τε V | ενεμπιμπλων V* ενεπιμπλ. Vᵃ 19 δια- τεταγμενην (sic) A | ατακτον] + εν τη πολει V 20 νεογνα] ναιογνα (γ rescr A¹) A | αι 1⁰] + τε A | αι 2⁰] και A | δε κατα τας] δεκατας (sic ut vid) A ἡ δέησις ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνοσίως ὑπʼ ἐκείνου κατεγχειρουμένοις.
0:22σύν τε A τούτοις οἱ περὶ τῶν πολιτῶν θρασυνθέντες οὐκ ἠνείχοντο τέλεον αὐτοῦ ἐπικειμένου καὶ τὸ τῆς προθέσεως ἐκπληροῦν διανοουμένου·
0:23φωνήσαντες δὲ τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα ποιήσασθαι, καὶ θαρραλέως ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου τελευτᾷν, ἱκανὴν ἐποίησαν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τραχύτητα, μόλις δὲ ὑπό τε τῶν γεραιῶν καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀποτραπέντες, ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς δεήσεως παρῆσαν στάσιν.
0:24καὶ τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ὡς ἔμπροσθεν τούτοις ἀνεστρέφετο δεόμενον.
0:25οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα πρεσβύτεροι πολλαχῶς ἐπειρῶντο τὸν ἀγέρωχον αὐτοῦ νοῦν ἐξιστάνειν τῆς ἐντεθυμημένης ἐπιβουλῆς.
0:26θρασυνθεὶς δὲ καὶ πάντας παραπέμψας ἤδη, καὶ πρόσβασιν ἤδη ἐποιεῖτο, τέλος ἐπιθήσειν δοκῶν τῷ προειρημένῳ.
0:27ταῦτα οὖν καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντες θεωροῦντες ἐτράπησαν εἰς τὸ σὺν τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν πᾶν κράτος ἔχοντα τοῖς παροῦσιν ἐπαμῦναι, μὴ περιιδόντα τὴν ἄνομον καὶ ὑπερήφανον πρᾶξιν.
0:28ἐκ δὲ τῆς πυκνοτάτης τε καὶ ἐνπόνου τῶν ὄχλων συναγομένης κραυγῆς ἀνείκαστός τις ἦν βοή·
0:29δοκεῖν γὰρ ἦν μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἔδαφος ἠχεῖν, ἅτε δὴ τῶν πάντων τότε θάνατον ἀλλασσομένων ἀντὶ τῆς τοῦ τόπου βεβηλώσεως.
Chapter 0
0:1Now Philopater, on learning from those who came back that Antiochus had made himself master of the places which belonged to himself, sent orders to all his footmen and horsemen, took with him his sister Arsinoe, and marched out as far as the parts of Raphia, where Antiochus and his forces encamped.
0:2And one Theodotus, intending to carry out his design, took with him the bravest of the armed men who had been before committed to his trust by Ptolemy, and got through at night to the tent of Ptolemy, to kill him on his own responsibility, and so to end the war.
0:3But Dositheus, called the son of Drimulus, by birth a Jew, afterward a renegade from the laws and observances of his country, conveyed Ptolemy away, and made an obscure person lie down in his stead in the tent. It befel this man to receive the fate which was meant for the other.
0:4A fierce battle then took place; and the men of Antiochus prevailing, Arsinoe continually went up and down the ranks, and with dishevelled hair, with tears and entreaties, begged the soldiers to fight manfully for themselves, their children, and wives; and promised that if they proved conquerors, she would give them two minæ of gold apiece.
0:5It thus fell out that their enemies were defeated in hand-to-hand encounter, and that many of them were taken prisoners.
0:6Having vanquished this attempt, the king then decided to proceed to the neighbouring cities, and encourage them.
0:7By doing this, and by making donations to their temples, he inspired his subjects with confidence.
0:8The Jews also sent some of their council and of their elders to him. The greetings, guest-gifts, and congratulations on the past, bestowed by them, filled him with the greater eagerness to visit their city.
0:9Having arrived at Jerusalem, sacrificed, and offered thank-offerings to the Greatest God, and done whatever else was suitable to the sanctity of the place, and entered the inner court,
0:10he was so struck with the exact magnificence of the place, and so wondered at the orderly arrangements of the temple, that he conceived the purpose of entering the sanctuary itself.
0:11And when they told him that this was not permissible, none of the nation, no, nor even the priests in general, but only the supreme high priest of all, and he only once in a year, being allowed to go in, he would by no means give way.
0:12Then they read the law to him; but he persisted in obtruding himself, exclaiming, that he ought to be allowed: and saying, Be it that they were deprived of this honour, I ought not to be.
0:13And he put the question, Why, when he entered all temples, none of the priests who were present forbad him?
0:14He was thoughtlessly answered by some one, That he did wrong to boast of this.
0:15Well; since I have done this, said he, be the cause what it may, shall I not enter with or without your consent?
0:16And when the priests fell down in their sacred vestments imploring the Greatest God to come and help in time of need, and to avert the violence of the fierce aggressor, and when they filled the temple with lamentations and tears,
0:17then those who had been left behind in the city were scared, and rushed forth, uncertain of the event.
0:18Virgins, who had been shut up within their chambers, came out with their mothers, scattering dust and ashes on their heads, and filling the streets with outcries.
0:19Women, but recently separated off, left their bridal chambers, left the reserve that befitted them, and ran about the city in a disorderly manner.
0:20Newborn babes were deserted by the mothers or nurses who waited upon them; some here, some there, in houses, or in fields; these now, with an ardour which could not be checked, swarmed into the Most High temple.
0:21Various were the prayers offered up by those who assembled in this place, on account of the unholy attempt of the king.
0:22Along with these there were some of the citizens who took courage, and would not submit to his obstinacy, and his intention of carrying out his purpose.
0:23Calling out to arms, and to die bravely in defence of the law of their fathers, they created a great uproar in the place, and were with difficulty brought back by the aged and the elders to the station of prayer which they had occupied before.
0:24During this time the multitude kept on praying.
0:25The elders who surrounded the king strove in many ways to divert his haughty mind from the design which he had formed.
0:26He, in his hardened mood, insensible to all persuasion, was going onwards, with the view of carrying out this design.
0:27Yet even his own officers, when they saw this, joined the Jews in an appeal to Him who has all power, to aid in the present crisis, and not wink at such overweening lawlessness.
0:28Such was the frequency and the vehemence of the cry of the assembled crowd, that an indescribable noise ensued.
0:29Not the men only, the very walls and floor seemed to sound forth; all things preferring dissolution rather than to see the place defiled.
Chapter 1
1:1Κύριε, Κύριε, βασιλεῦ τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ δέσποτα πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ἅγιε ἐν ἁγίοις, μόναρχε, παντοκράτωρ, πρόσχες ἡμῖν καταπονουμένοις ὑπὸ ἀνοσίου καὶ βεβήλου, θράσει καὶ σθένει πεφρυασμένου.
1:2σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὁ κτίσας τὰ πάντα, καὶ τῶν ὅλων ἐπικρατῶν· δυνάστης δίκαιος εἶ, καὶ τοὺς ὕβρει καὶ ἀγερωχίᾳ τι πράσσοντας κρίνεις.
1:3σὺ τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν ἀδικίαν ποιήσαντας, ἐν οἷς γίγαντες ἦσαν ῥώμῃ καὶ θράσει πεποιθότες, διέφθειρας, ἐπαγαγὼν αὐτοῖς ἀμέτρητον ὕδωρ.
1:4σὺ τοὺς ὑπερηφανίαν ἐργαζομένους Σοδομίτας, ἀδήλους ταῖς κακίαις γενομένους, πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ κατέφλεξας, παράδιγμα τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις καταστήσας.
1:5σὺ τὸν θρασὺν Φαραώ, καταδουλωσάμενον τὸν λαόν σου τὸν ἅγιον Ἰσραήλ, ποικίλαις καὶ 21 ανοσιοις V 22 εινηχοντο V* (ηνειχ. Va) 23 φωνησαν A φωνη- V σαντος V υπο 2⁰] απο V | om τε V | παρησαν] εστησαν V 24 τουτοις] pr εν V 25 επιβουλης] βουλης V 26 παντα V | προπεμψας V* (παραπ. V1) om ηδη 2⁰ V | επ. τελος· (sic) A | των προειρημενων V 27 μη] pr και V περϊδ|ντα (sic) A (περιιδ. V) την] ην A* (τ superscr A¹) 28 πυκνοτητος V | om τε V | εμπονου Va 29 δοκειν] pr η A | om τοτε V II 2 παντοκρατωρ V* (-τορ Vᵃ) σθενει] ασθενει (sic) A | πρεφρυασμενους (sic) A πεφρυαγμενου V 3 om ει 1⁰ V 4 ε|ν V* τν| Vᵃ | οις] + και V | αυτους A 5 διαδηλους V vid 6 τον αγιον] om τον V A πολλαῖς δοκιμάσας τιμωρίαις ἐγνώρισας τὴν σὴν δύναμιν, ἐφʼ αἷς ἐγνώρισας τὸ μέγα σου κράτος.
1:6καὶ ἐπιδιώξαντα αὐτὸν σὺν ἅρμασιν καὶ ὄχλων πλήθει, ἐπέκλυσας βάθει θαλάσσης, τοὺς δὲ ἐνπιστεύσαντας ἐπὶ σοὶ τῷ τῆς ἁπάσης κτίσεως δυναστεύοντι, σῴους διεκόμισας.
1:7οἳ καὶ συνιδόντες ἔργα σῆς χειρός, ἤνεσάν σε τὸν παντοκράτορα.
1:8σύ, βασιλεῦ, κτίσας τὴν ἀπέρατον καὶ ἀμέτρητον γῆν, ἐξελέξω τὴν πόλιν ταύτην, καὶ ἡγίασας τὸν τόπον τοῦτον εἰς σὸν ὄνομά σοι τῷ τῶν ἁπάντων ἀπροσδεεῖ, καὶ παρεδόξασας ἐν ἐπιφανείᾳ μεγαλοπρεπεῖ, σύστασιν ποιησάμενος αὐτοῦ πρὸς δόξαν τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ἐντίμου ὀνόματός σου.
1:9καὶ ἀγαπῶν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ἐπηγγείλω διότι ἐὰν γένηται ἡμῶν ἀποστροφὴ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς στενοχωρία, καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὸν τόπον ἡμῶν δεηθῶμεν, εἰσακούσῃ τῆς δεήσεως ἡμῶν.
1:10καὶ δὴ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός.
1:11ἐπεὶ δὲ πλεονάκις καὶ θλιβέντων τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐβοήθησας αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει, καὶ ἐρρύσω αὐτοὺς ἐκ μεγάλων κακῶν·
1:12ἰδοὺ δὲ νῦν, ἅγιε βασιλεῦ, διὰ τὰς πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίας καταπονούμεθα, καὶ ὑπετάγημεν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν, καὶ παρείμεθα ἐν ἀδυναμίαις.
1:13ἐν δὲ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ καταπτώσει ὁ θρασὺς καὶ βέβηλος οὗτος ἐπιτηδεύει καθυβρίσαι τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀναδεδιγμένον τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς δόξης σου ἅγιον τόπον.
1:14τὸ μὲν γὰρ κατοικητήριόν σου οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀνέφικτος ἀνθρώποις ἐστίν.
1:15ὰλλὰ ἐπεὶ εὐδόκησας τὴν δόξαν σου ἐν τῷ λαῷ σου Ἰσραήλ, ἡγίασας τὸν τόπον τοῦτον.
1:16μὴ ἐκδικήσῃς ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ τούτων ἀκαθαρσίᾳ, μηδὲ εὐθύνῃς ἡμᾶς ἐν βεβηλώσει, ἵνα μὴ καυχήσωνται οἱ παράνομοι ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν, μηδὲ ἀγαλλιάσωνται ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ γλώσσης αὐτῶν, λέγοντες
1:17Ἡμεῖς κατεπατήσαμεν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ, ὡς καταπατοῦνται οἱ οἶκοι τῶν προσοχθισμάτων.
1:18ἀπάλειψον τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, καὶ διασκέδασον τὰς ἀμβλακίας ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐπίφανον τὸ ἔλεός σου κατὰ τὴν ὥραν ταύτην.
1:19ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου· καὶ δὸς αἰνέσεις ἐν τῷ στόματι τῶν καταπεπτωκότων καὶ συντετριμμένων τὰς ψυχάς, ποιήσας ἡμῖν εἰρήνην.
1:20Ἐυταῦθα ὁ πάντων ἐπόπτης θεὸς καὶ προπάτωρ ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις A εἰσακούσας τῆς ἐνθέσμου λιτανείας, τὸν ὕβρει καὶ θράσει μεγάλως ἐπηρμένον ἐμάστιξεν αὐτόν,
1:21ἔυθεν καὶ ἔνθεν κραδάνας αὐτὸν ὡς κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου, ὥστε κατʼ ἐδάφους ἄπρακτον ἔτι καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν παραλελυμένον, μηδὲ φωνῆσαι δύνασθαι δικαίᾳ πεπληγμένον κρίσει.
1:22ὅθεν οἵ τε φίλοι καὶ σωματοφύλακες ὀξεῖαν ἰδόντες τὴν καταλαβοῦσαν αὐτὸν εὔθυναν, φοβούμενοι μὴ καὶ τὸ ζῆν ἐκλείπῃ, ταχέως αὐτὸν ἐξείλκυσαν ὑπερβάλλοντι καταπεπληγμένοι φόβῳ.
1:23ἐν χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον ἀναλεξάμενος αὑτόν, οὐδαμῶς εἰς μετάμελον ἦλθεν ἐπιτιμηθείς, μετὰ ἀπειλῆς δὲ πικρᾶς θέμενος ἀνέλυσεν.
1:24Διακομισθεὶς δὲ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καὶ τὰ τῆς κακίας ἐπαύξων, διά τε τῶν προαποδεδιγμένων συνποτῶν καὶ ἑταίρων τοῦ παντὸς δικαίου κεχωρισμένων,
1:25οὐ μόνον ταῖς ἀναριθμήτοις ἀσελγίαις διηρκέσθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον θράσους προῆλθεν, ὥστε δυσφημίας ἐν τοῖς τόποις συνίστασθαι, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν φίλων ἀτενίζοντας εἰς τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως πρόθεσιν καὶ αὐτοὺς ἕπεσθαι τῇ ἐκείνου θελήσει.
1:26προέθετο δημοσίᾳ κατὰ τοῦ ἔθνους διαδοῦναι ψόγον· ἐπὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν αὐλὴν πύργου στήλην ἀναστήσας, ἐκόλαψεν γραφήν
1:27Μηδένα τῶν μὴ θυόντων ἐπὶ τὰ ἱερὰ αὐτῶν εἰσιέναι, πάντας δὲ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰς λαογραφίαν καὶ οἰκετικὴν διάθεσιν ἀχθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ ἀντιλέγοντας βίᾳ φερομένους τοῦ ζῇν μεταστῆσαι·
1:28τούς τε ἀπογραφομένους χαράσσεσθαι καὶ διὰ πυρὸς εἰς τὸ σῶμα παρασήμῳ Διονύσου κισσοφύλλῳ· οὓς καὶ προκαταχωρίσαι εἰς τὴν προσυνεσταλμένην αὐθεντίαν.
1:29ἵνα δὲ μὴ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀπεχθόμενος φαίνηται, ὑπέγραψεν Ἐὰν δέ τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν προαιρῶνται ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τελετὰς μεμυημένοις ἀναστρέφεσθαι, τούτους ἰσοπολίτας Ἀλεξανδρεῦσιν εἶναι.
1:30Ἔνιοι μὲν ἐπιπολαίως τὰς τῆς πόλεως εὐσεβείας ἐπιβάθρας στυγοῦντες, εὐχερῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἐδίδοσαν, ὡς μεγάλης τινὸς κοινωνήσοντες εὐκλείας ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσομένης τῷ βασιλεῖ συναναστροφῆς.
1:31οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι γενναίᾳ ψυχῇ ἐνίσχυσαν, καὶ οὐ διέστησαν τῆς εὐσεβείας· τά τε χρήματα περὶ τοῦ ζῇν ἀντικαταλλασσόμενοι ἀδεῶς ἐπειρῶντο ἑαυτοὺς ῥύσασθαι ἐκ τῶν ἀπογραφῶν.
1:32εὐέλπιδές τε καθιστήκεισαν ἀντιλήμψεως τεύξασθαι, καὶ τοὺς ἀποχωροῦντας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐβδελύσσοντο, καὶ ὡς πολεμίους τοῦ ἔθνους ἔκρινον, καὶ τῆς κοινῆς συναναστροφῆς καὶ εὐχρηστίας ἐστέρουν.
Chapter 1
1:1Now was it that the high priest Simon bowed his knees over against the holy place, and spread out his hands in reverent form, and uttered the following supplication:
1:2O Lord, Lord, King of the heavens, and Ruler of the whole creation, Holy among the holy, sole Governor, Almighty, give ear to us who are oppressed by a wicked and profane one, who exulteth in his confidence and strength.
1:3It is thou, the Creator of all, the Lord of the universe, who art a righteous Governor, and judgest all who act with pride and insolence.
1:4It was thou who didst destroy the former workers of unrighteousness, among whom were the giants, who trusted in their strength and hardihood, by covering them with a measureless flood.
1:5It was thou who didst make the Sodomites, those workers of exceeding iniquity, men notorious for their vices, an example to after generations, when thou didst consume them with fire and brimstone.
1:6Thou didst make known thy power when thou causedst the bold Pharaoh, the enslaver of thy people, to pass through the ordeal of many and diverse inflictions.
1:7And thou rolledst the depths of the sea over him, when he made pursuit with chariots, and with a multitude of followers, and gavest a safe passage to those who put their trust in thee, the Lord of the whole creation.
1:8These saw and felt the works of thine hands, and praised thee the Almighty.
1:9Thou, O King, when thou createdst the illimitable and measureless earth, didst choose out this city: thou didst make this place sacred to thy name, albeit thou needest nothing: thou didst glorify it with thy illustrious presence, after constructing it to the glory of thy great and honourable name.
1:10And thou didst promise, out of love to the house of Israel, that should we fall away from thee, and become afflicted, and then come to this house and pray, thou wouldest hear our prayer.
1:11Verily thou art faithful and true.
1:12And whereas thou didst often aid our fathers when hard pressed, and in low estate, and deliveredst them out of great dangers,
1:13see now, holy King, how through our many and great sins we are borne down, and made subject to our enemies, and are become weak and powerless.
1:14We being in this low condition, this bold and profane man seeks to dishonour this thy holy place, consecrated out of the earth to the name of thy Majesty.
1:15Thy dwelling-place, the heaven of heavens, is indeed unapproachable to men.
1:16But since it seemed good to thee to exhibit thy glory among thy people Israel, thou didst sanctify this place.
1:17Punish us not by means of the uncleanness of their men, nor chastise us by means of their profanity; lest the lawless ones should boast in their rage, and exult in exuberant pride of speech, and say,
1:18We have trampled upon the holy house, as idolatrous houses are trampled upon.
1:19Blot out our iniquities, and do away with our errors, and shew forth thy compassion in this hour.
1:20Let thy mercies quickly go before us. Grant us peace, that the cast down and broken hearted may praise thee with their mouth.
1:21At that time God, who seeth all things, who is beyond all Holy among the holy, heard that prayer, so suitable; and scourged the man greatly uplifted with scorn and insolence.
1:22Shaking him to and fro as a reed is shaken with the wind, he cast him upon the pavement, powerless, with limbs paralyzed; by a righteous judgment deprived of the faculty of speech.
1:23His friends and body-guards, beholding the swift recompense which had suddenly overtaken him, struck with exceeding terror, and fearing that he would die, speedily removed him.
1:24When in course of time he had come to himself, this severe check caused no repentance within him, but he departed with bitter threatenings.
1:25He proceeded to Egypt, grew worse in wickedness through his beforementioned companions in wine, who were lost to all goodness;
1:26and not satisfied with countless acts of impiety, his audacity so increased that he raised evil reports there, and many of his friends, watching his purpose attentively, joined in furthering his will.
1:27His purpose was to inflict a public stigma upon our race; wherefore he erected a pillar at the tower-porch, and caused the following inscription to be engraven upon it:
1:28That entrance to their own temple was to be refused to all those who would not sacrifice; that all the Jews were to be registered among the common people; that those who resisted were to be forcibly seized and put to death;
1:29that those who were thus registered, were to be marked on their persons by the ivy-leaf symbol of Dionysus, and to be set apart with these limited rights.
1:30To do away with the appearance of hating them all, he had it written underneath, that if any of them should elect to enter the community of those initiated in the rites, these should have equal rights with the Alexandrians.
1:31Some of those who were over the city, therefore, abhorring any approach to the city of piety, unhesitatingly gave in to the king, and expected to derive some great honour from a future connection with him.
1:32A nobler spirit, however, prompted the majority to cling to their religious observances, and by paying money that they might live unmolested, these sought to escape the registration:
1:33cheerfully looking forward to future aid, they abhorred their own apostates, considering them to be national foes, and debarring them from the common usages of social intercourse.
Chapter 2
2:1Ἃ καὶ μεταλαμβάνων ὁ δυσσεβὴς ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐξεχόλησεν ὥστε οὐ μόνον τοῖς κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ὀργίζεσθαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ βαρυτέρως ἐναντιωθῆναι, καὶ προστάξαι σπεύδοντας συναγαγεῖν πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, καὶ χειρίστῳ μόρῳ τοῦ ζῆν μεταστῆσαι.
2:2τούτων δὲ οἰκονομουμένων φήμη δυσμενὴς ἐξέκειτο κατὰ τοῦ γένους ἀνθρώποις συμφρονοῦσιν εἰς κακοποίησιν, ἀφορμῆς δὲ διδομένης εἰς διάθεσιν, ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ τῶν νομίμων αὐτοὺς κωλυόντων.
2:3οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν μὲν πρὸς τοὺς βασιλεῖς εὔνοιαν καὶ πίστιν ἀδιάστροφον ἦσαν φυλάσσοντες·
2:4σεβόμενοι δὲ τὸν θεόν, καὶ τῷ τούτου νόμῳ πολιτευόμενοι, χωρισμὸν ἐποίουν ἐπὶ τῷ κατὰ τὰς τροφάς. δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἔνιοι ἀπεχθεῖς ἐφαίνοντο·
2:5τῇ δὲ τῶν δικαίων εὐπραξίᾳ κοσμοῦντες τὴν συναναστροφήν, ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις εὐδόκιμοι καθειστήκεισαν.
2:6τὴν μὲν οὖν περὶ τοῦ γένους ἐν πᾶσιν θρυλουμένην εὐπραξίαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι οὐδαμῶς διηριθμήσαντο·
2:7τὴν δὲ περὶ τῶν προσκυνήσεων καὶ τροφῶν διάστασιν ἐθρύλουν, φάσκοντες μήτε τῷ βασιλεῖ μήτε ταῖς δυνάμεσιν ὁμοσπόνδους τοὺς ἀνθρώπους γίνεσθαι, δυσμενεῖς δὲ εἶναι καὶ μέγα τι τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐναντιουμένους· καὶ οὐ τῷ τυχόντι περιήψαντο φόβῳ.
2:8Οἱ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν Ἕλληνες οὐδὲν ἠδικημένοι, ταραχὴν ἀπροσδόκητον περὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας θεωροῦντες καὶ συνδρομὰς ἀπροσκόπους γινομένας, βοηθεῖν μὲν οὐκ ἔσθενον· τυραννικὴ γὰρ ἦν ἡ διάθεσις· παρεκάλουν δὲ καὶ δυσφόρως εἶχον, καὶ μεταπεσεῖσθαι ταῦτα ὑπελάμβανον·
2:9μὴ γὰρ οὕτω παροραθήσεσθαι τηλικοῦτο σύστεμα μηδὲν ἠγνοηκός.
2:10ἤδη δὲ καί τινες γείτονές τε καὶ φίλοι καὶ συνπραγματευόμενοι, μυστικῶς τινας ἐπισπώμενοι, πίστεις v33 καθειστηκεισαν Vᵃ | αντιλημψεως] αντι sup ras Aa αντιληψ. V | τευξεσθαι V | συν|αναστρ. V* συ|ναναστρ. Vᵃ III 1 εξεχολησεν] εχολησεν V | Αλεξανδριαν V* (-δρειαν Vᵃ) | σπευσαντας V 2 οικονομου- μενων] οικοδομ. A εξεκειτο] εξηχειτο V συμφρονουσιν (συνφρ. V* )] συμ- φοραν ουσιν (sic) A 4 δε] δη V | καταστροφας A 5 συν|αναστρ. V* συ|ναναστρ. Va 6 διηριθμησαντο] διερυθμησαντο V* (-θμισ. Vᵃ) 7 περιηψαν V | φοβω] ψογω V 8 ουδεν] ουδε V ανδρας] ανους V | εσθανον A | μεταπεσεισθαι· A 9 ουτως V | συστημα V 10 συμ- πραγματευομενοι· V ἐδίδουν συνασπιεῖν, καὶ πᾶν ἐκτενὲς προσοίσεσθαι πρὸς A ἀντίλημψίν.
2:11Ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὖν τῇ κατὰ τὸ παρὸν εὐημερίᾳ γεγαυρωμένος, καὶ οὐ καθορῶν τὸ τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ κράτος, ὑπολαμβάνων δὲ διηνεκῶς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ διαμένειν βουλῇ, ἔγραψεν κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐπιστολὴν τήνδε
2:12Βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ τοῖς κατʼ Αἴγυπτον καὶ κατὰ τόπον στρατηγοῖς καὶ στρατιώταις χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρῶσθαι.
2:13ἔρρωμαι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ πράγματα ἡμῶν.
2:14τῆς εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν γενομένης ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατίας, ἧς ἴστε καὶ αὐτοί, τῇ τῶν θεῶν ἀπροπτώτῳ συμμαχίᾳ κατὰ λόγον ἐπὶ τέλος ἀχθείσης,
2:15ἡγησάμεθα μὴ βίᾳ δόρατος, ἐπιεικείᾳ δὲ καὶ πολλῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τιθηνήσασθαι τὰ κατοικοῦντα Κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην ἔθνη, εὖ ποιήσαντες ἀσμένως.
2:16καὶ τοῖς κατὰ πόλεσιν ἱεροῖς ἀπονείμαντες προσόδους πλείστας, προσήχθημεν καὶ εἰς τὰ Ἰεροσόλυμα ἀναβάντες τιμῆσαι τὸ ἱερὸν τῶν ἀλιτηρίων καὶ μηδέποτε ληγόντων τῆς ἀνοίας.
2:17οἱ δὲ λόγῳ μὲν τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀποδεξάμενοι παρουσίαν, τῷ δὲ πράγματι νόθως, προθυμηθέντων ἡμῶν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν αὐτῶν καὶ τοῖς ἐκπρεπέσιν καὶ καλλίστοις ἀναθήμασιν τιμῆσαι,
2:18τύφοις φερόμενοι παλαιοτέροις, εἶρξαν ἡμᾶς τῆς εἰσόδου, λειπόμενοι τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀλκῆς, δι᾿ ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς ἅπαντας ἀνθρώπους φιλανθρωπίαν.
2:19τὴν δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς δυσμενίαν ἔκδηλον καθιστάντες, ὡς μονώτατοι τῶν ἐθνῶν βασιλεῦσιν καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν εὐεργέταις ὑψαυχενοῦντες οὐδὲν γνήσιον βούλονται φέρειν.
2:20Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῇ τούτων ἀνοίᾳ συνπεριενεχθέντες, καὶ μετὰ νίκης διακομισθέντες, καὶ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον τοῖς πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν φιλανθρώπως ἀπαντήσαντες, καθὼς ἔπρεπεν ἐποιήσαμεν.
2:21ἐν δὲ τούτοις πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοφύλους αὐτῶν ἀμνησικακίαν ἅπασιν γνωρίζοντες, διά τε τὴν συμμαχίαν καὶ τὰ πεπιστευμένα μετὰ ἁπλότητος αὐτοῖς ἀρχῆθεν μύρια πράγματα, 10 συνασπισειν V | παν] παντας Vᵃ | om εκτενες Vᵃ | αντιληψιν V v 11 υπολαμβανειν AV 12 Πτολεμεος A 14 της εις] εκ της κατα V | επιστρατειας V 15 επιεικια V (-κεια Vᵃ) | κατοικουντα] κατα V | ασμενως] μεν ως AV 16 προσ|οδους V* προ|σ. Vᵃ | προηχθημεν V | Ιερο- σολυμα] om I A* (superscr A¹) 17 την ημετεραν αποδεξαμενοι sup ras A¹ (την ημ. αποδ. την ημ. A*) αποδεξ. την ημ. V | εκπρεπεσειν V* ευπρεπεσει Vᵃ | ανθημασιν A (αναθ. V) 18 απαντας] παντας V 19 δυσμενειαν Vᵃ | καθεισταντες A καθειστωντες V* καθιστ. Va μονοτατοι V* (μονωτ. Vᵃ) | βασιλευειν A (-λευσιν V) 20 συμπεριενεχθ. Vᵃ 21 τε] δε V | μετα] margine avulso periit τα in V* με|θ. Vᵃ | πραγματα] + τολμησαντες V A ἐξαλλοιῶσαι ἐβουλήθημεν, καὶ πολιτίας αὐτοὺς Ἀλεξανδρέων καταξιῶσαι, καὶ μετόχους τῶν ἀεὶ ἱερέων καταστῆσαι.
2:22οἱ δὲ τοὐναντίον ἐκδεχόμενοι καὶ τῇ συμφύτῳ κακοηθείᾳ τὸ καλὸν ἀπωσάμενοι, διηνεκῶς δὲ εἰς τὸ φαῦλον ἐκνεύοντες,
2:23οὐ μόνον ἀπεστρέψαντο τὴν ἀτίμητον πολιτίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βδελύσσονται λόγῳ τε καὶ σιγῇ τοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς ὀλίγους πρὸς ἡμᾶς γνησίως διακειμένους, παρʼ ἕκαστα ὑφορώμενοι μετὰ τῆς δυσκλεεστάτης ἐμβιώσεως διὰ τάχους ἡμᾶς καταστρέψαι τὰ πράγματα.
2:24διὸ καὶ τεκμηρίοις καλῶς πεπεισμένοι τούτους κατὰ πάντα δυσνοεῖν ἡμῖν τρόπον, καὶ προνοούμενοι μή ποτε ἐφνιδίου μετέπειτα ταραχῆς ἐνστάσης ἡμῖν τοὺς δυσσεβεῖς τούτους κατὰ νώτου προδότας καὶ βαρβάρους ἔχωμεν πολεμίους·
2:25προστετάχαμεν ἅμα τῷ προσπεσεῖν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τήνδε, αὐθωρεὶ τοὺς ἐννεμομένους σὺν ταῖς γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις μετὰ ὕβρεως καὶ σκυλμῶν ἀποστεῖλαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐν δεσμοῖς σιδηροῖς πάντοθεν κατακεκλεισμένους, εἰς ἀνήκεστον καὶ δυσκλεῆ πρέποντα δυσμενέσι φόνον.
2:26τούτων γὰρ ὁμοῦ κολασθέντων, διειλήφαμεν εἰς τὸν ἐπίλοιπον χρόνον τελείως ἡμῖν τὰ πράγματα ἐν εὐσταθείᾳ καὶ τῇ βελτίστῃ διαθέσει κατασταθήσεσθαι.
2:27ὃς δ᾿ ἂν σκεπάσῃ τινὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπὸ γεραιοῦ μέχρι νηπίου καὶ μέχρι τῶν ὑπομαστιαίων, ἐχθίσταις βασάνοις ἀποτυμπανισθήσεται πανοικίᾳ·
2:28μηνύειν δὲ τὸν βουλόμενον ἐφʼ ᾧ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ ἐμπίπτοντος ὑπὸ τὴν εὔθυναν λήμψεται, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βασιλείου δραχμὰς δισχιλίας, καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας στεφανωθήσεται.
2:29πᾶς δὲ τόπος, οὗ ἐὰν φωραθῇ τὸ σύνολον σκεπαζόμενος Ἰουδαῖος, ἄβατος καὶ πυριφλεγὴς γινέσθω, καὶ πάσῃ θνητῇ φύσει καθʼ ἅπαν ἄχρηστος φανήσεται εἰς τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον.
2:30καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τύπος οὕτως ἐγέγραπτο.
Chapter 2
2:1On discovering this, so incensed was the wicked king, that he no longer confined his rage to the Jews in Alexandria. Laying his hand more heavily upon those who lived in the country, he gave orders that they should be quickly collected into one place, and most cruelly deprived of their lives.
2:2While this was going on, an invidious rumour was uttered abroad by men who had banded together to injure the Jewish race. The purport of their charge was, that the Jews kept them away from the ordinances of the law.
2:3Now, while the Jews always maintained a feeling of unswerving loyalty towards the kings,
2:4yet, as they worshipped God, and observed his law, they made certain distinctions, and avoided certain things. Hence some persons held them in odium;
2:5although, as they adorned their conversation with works of righteousness, they had established themselves in the good opinion of the world.
2:6What all the rest of mankind said, was, however, made of no account by the foreigners;
2:7who said much of the exclusiveness of the Jews with regard to their worship and meats; they alleged that they were men unsociable, hostile to the king's interests, refusing to associate with him or his troops. By this way of speaking, they brought much odium upon them.
2:8Nor was this unexpected uproar and sudden conflux of people unobserved by the Greeks who lived in the city, concerning men who had never harmed them: yet to aid them was not in their power, since all was oppression around; but they encouraged the Jews by sympathizing with them in their troubles, and expected a favourable turn of affairs:
2:9He who knoweth all things, will not, said they , disregard so great a people.
2:10Some of the neighbours, friends, and fellow dealers of the Jews, even called them secretly to an interview, pledged them their assistance, and promised to do their very utmost for them.
2:11Now the king, elated with his prosperous fortune, and not regarding the superior power of God, but thinking to persevere in his present purpose, wrote the following letter to the prejudice of the Jews.
2:12King Ptolemy Philopater, to the commanders and soldiers in Egypt, and in all places, health and happiness!
2:13I am right well; and so, too, are my affairs.
2:14Since our Asiatic campaign, the particulars of which ye know, and which by the aid of the gods, not lightly given, and by our own vigour, has been brought to a successful issue according to our expectation,
2:15we resolved, not with strength of spear, but with gentleness and much humanity, as it were to nurse the inhabitants of Cœle-Syria and Phœnicia, and to be their willing benefactors.
2:16So, having bestowed considerable sums of money upon the temples of the several cities, we proceeded even as far as Jerusalem; and went up to honour the temple of these wretched beings who never cease from their folly.
2:17To outward appearance they received us willingly; but belied that appearance by their deeds. When we were eager to enter their temple, and to honour it with the most beautiful and exquisite gifts,
2:18they were so carried away by their old arrogance, as to forbid us the entrance; while we, out of our forbearance toward all men, refrained from exercising our power upon them.
2:19And thus, exhibiting their enmity against us, they alone among the nations lift up their heads against kings and benefactors, as men unwilling to submit to any thing reasonable.
2:20We then, having endeavoured to make allowance for the madness of these persons, and on our victorious return treating all people in Egypt courteously, acted in a manner which was befitting.
2:21Accordingly, bearing no ill-will against their kinsmen [at Jerusalem], but rather remembering our connection with them, and the numerous matters with sincere heart from a remote period entrusted to them, we wished to venture a total alteration of their state, by bestowing upon them the rights of citizens of Alexandria, and to admit them to the everlasting rites of our solemnities.
2:22All this, however, they have taken in a very different spirit. With their innate malignity, they have spurned the fair offer; and constantly inclining to evil,
2:23have rejected the inestimable rights. Not only so, but by using speech, and by refraining from speech, they abhor the few among them who are heartily disposed towards us; ever deeming that their ignoble course of procedure will force us to do away with our reform.
2:24Having then, received certain proofs that these Jews bear us every sort of ill-will, we must look forward to the possibility of some sudden tumult among ourselves, when these impious men may turn traitors and barbarous enemies.
2:25As soon, therefore, as the contents of this letter become known to you, in that same hour we order those Jews who dwell among you, with wives and children, to be sent to us, vilified and abused, in chains of iron, to undergo a death, cruel and ignominious, suitable to men disaffected.
2:26For by the punishment of them in one body we perceive that we have found the only means of establishing our affairs for the future on a firm and satisfactory basis.
2:27Whoever shall shield a Jew, whether it be old man, child, or suckling, shall with his whole house be tortured to death.
2:28Whoever shall inform against the Jews , besides receiving the property of the person charged, shall be presented with two thousand drachmæ from the royal treasury, shall be made free, and shall be crowned.
2:29Whatever place shall shelter a Jew, shall, when he is hunted forth, be put under the ban of fire, and be for ever rendered useless to every living being for all time to come.
2:30Such was the purport of the king's letter.
Chapter 3
3:1Πάντη δὲ ὅπου προσέπιπτεν τοῦτο τὸ πρόσταγμα, δημοτελὴς συνίστατο τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὖν εὐωχία μετὰ ἀλαλαγμῶν καὶ χαρᾶς, ὡς V21 εβουλευμεν V* (superscr θη V¹) | πολιτιας (-τειας Vᵃ)] pr της Va salt | Αλεξανδρειων V* vid (-δρεων Vᵃ) | om και μετοχους…καταστησαι V 22 εκνευοντες] εκ νεοτητος V 23 πολιτειαν Va | periit εν in V* neque suppl Vᵃ 24 τεκμηριων V* vid (-ριον Vᵃ) | πεπεισμενοι] πεπιστευμενοι V | προσνοουμ. V | αιφνιδιου V | εστασης A εν…σης V* ενουσης Vᵃ | νωτου] νοτον Va vid | εχομεν V 25 αυθωρι V | γυναιξιν V* (-ξι Vᵃ) | και 1⁰] pr τε V | κατακεκλεισμενοις AV | φονον] φοβον V 26 διεληφαμεν A | ευσταθια V* (-θεια Vᵃ) | βελτιστη] κρατιστη V 27 γηραιου Vᵃ | om και V | υπομασθιων V | εχθισταις] αισχισταις V 28 βασιλειον] βασιλικου αργυριου V 29 σπαζομενοι V* (σκεπαζ. V¹) | om Ιουδαιος V | καθ απαν] κατα παντα V | αχριστος V IV 1 om ουν V ἂν τῆς προκατεσκιρωμένης αὐτοῖς πάλαι κατὰ διάνοιαν, μετὰ παρv A νῦν ἐκφαινομένης ἀπεχθείας.
3:2τοῖς δὲ Ἰουδαίοις ἄλεκτον πένθος ἦν καὶ πανόδυρτος μετὰ δακρύων βοή, στεναγμοῖς πεπυρωμένης πάντοθεν αὐτῶν τῆς καρδίας, ὀλοφυρομένων τὴν ἀπροσδόκητον ἐξαίφνης αὐτοῖς ἐπικριθεῖσαν ὀλεθρίαν.
3:3τίς νομὸς ἢ πόλις, ἢ τίς τὸ σύνολον οἴκτιστος τόπος, ἢ τίνες ἀγυιαὶ κοπετοῦ καὶ γόων ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐνεπιπλῶντο;
3:4οὕτως γὰρ μετὰ πικρίας ἀνοίκτου ψυχῆς ὑπὸ τῶν κατὰ πόλιν στρατηγῶν ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐξαπεστέλλοντο, ὥστε ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐξάλλοις τιμωρίαις καί τινας τῶν ἐχθρῶν λαμβάνοντας πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὸν κοινὸν ἔλεον, καὶ λογιζομένους τὴν ἄδηλον τοῦ βίου καταστροφήν, δακρύειν αὐτῶν τὴν δυσάθλιον ἐξαποστολήν.
3:5ἤγετο γὰρ γέρων πλήρης πολιᾶς πεπυκασμένος τὴν ἐκ τοῦ γήρως νωθρότητα ποδῶν ἐπικύφων, ἀνατροπῆς ὁρμῇ βιαίας, ἁπάσης αἰδοῦς ἄνευ πρὸς ὀξείαν καταχρώμενος πορείαν.
3:6αἱ δὲ ἄρτι πρὸς βίου κοινωνίαν γαμικὸν ὑπεληλυθυῖαι παστὸν νεάνιδες ἀντὶ τέρψεως μεταλαβοῦσαι γόους, καὶ κόνει τὴν μυροβρεχῆ πεφυρμέναι κόμην, ἀκαλύπτως δὲ ἀγόμεναι, θρῆνον ἀνθʼ ὑμεναίων ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐξῆρχον, ὡς ἐσπαραγμέναι σκύμνοις ἀλλοεθνέσιν·
3:7δέσμιαι δὲ δημοσίᾳ μέχρι τῆς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἐμβολῆς εἵλκοντο μετὰ βίας.
3:8οἱ δὲ τούτων συνζυγεῖς βρόχους ἀντὶ στεφέων τοὺς αὐχένας περιπεπλεγμένοι μετὰ ἀκμαίας νεανικῆς ἡλικίας, ἀντὶ εὐωχίας καὶ νεωτερικῆς ῥᾳθυμίας τὰς ἐπιλοίπους τῶν γάμων ἡμέρας ἐν θρήνοις διῆγον, παρὰ πόδας ἤδη τὸν ᾅδην ὁρῶντες κείμενον.
3:9κατήχθησαν δὲ θηρίων τρόπον ἀγόμενοι σιδηροδέσμοις ἀνάγκαις· οἱ μὲν τοῖς ζυγοῖς τῶν πλοίων προσηλωμένοι τοὺς τραχήλους, οἱ δὲ τοὺς πόδας ἀρρήκτοις κατησφαλισμένοι πέδαις,
3:10ἔτι καὶ τῷ καθύπερθε πυκνῷ σανιδώματι διακειμένῳ, ὅπως πάντοθεν ἐσκοτισμένοι τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, ἀγωγὴν ἐπιβούλων ἐν παντὶ τῷ κατάπλῳ λαμβάνωσιν.
3:11Τούτων δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν λεγομένην Σχεδίαν ἀχθέντων, καὶ τοῦ παράπλου περανθέντος, 1 προκατασκειρωμενης A -σκηρ. V απεχθειας] απεχθ.. V 2 αλη- V κτον Vᵃ vid | πανοδυρκτος A | επεισκριθεισαν V 3 οἰκτιστὸ[ς] (sic) V | αυτοις] αυ suppl Va | om ουκ ενεπιπλωντο A | ενεπιμπλ. Va 4 πικρας V | ανοικτου] pr και Vᵃ | ομοθυμαδον] ο 1⁰ suppl Vᵃ | εξαλλοις] εξαλληλοις (ε|ξ. V* εξ. Vᵃ) V 5 γερων] γηραιων V | πληρης πολιας] πληθος πολια V | πεπυκασμενων AV | επικουφον A επικυφον V | εξιαν A | καταχρωμεν A καταχρωμενον V | ποριαν V* (-ρειαν Vᵃ) 6 μεταβαλουσαι V | πεφυρ- μεναι] πεφρυγμεναι V | αλλοεθνεσι V 7 δημοσι· α (sic) A 8 δε] τε V | συζυγεις V | βροχοις V | περιπεπλεγμενων V*vid (-μενοι V1(vid) ακμαια V | (-ας Vᵃ) νεανικης] pr κ V* (om Vᵃ) 9 αγομενοις A | σιδη- ροδεσμιοι V | κατεσφαλισμενοι V 10 κατʼ υπερθε AV* καθυπερθε| Vᵃ 11 αχθεντων] αναχθ. V | περαθεντος A* (περανθ. A¹) A καθὼς ἦν δεδογματισμένον τῷ βασιλεῖ, προσέταξεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἱπποδρόμῳ παρεμβαλεῖν ἀπλάτῳ καθεστῶτι περιμέτρῳ, καὶ πρὸς παραδιγματισμὸν ἄγαν εὐκαιροτάτῳ καθεστῶτι πᾶσι τοῖς καταπορευομένοις εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ τούτων εἰς τὴν χώραν στελλομένοις πρὸς ἐκδημίαν· πρὸς τὸ μηδὲ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν αὐτοῦ κοινωνεῖν μηδὲ τὸ σύνολον καταξιῶσαι περιβόλῳ.
3:12ὡς δὲ τοῦτο ἐγενήθη, ἀκούσας τοὺς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ὁμοεθνεῖς κρυβῇ ἐκπορευομένους πυκνότερον ἀποδύρεσθαι τὴν ἀκλεῆ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ταλαιπωρίαν,
3:13διοργισθεὶς προσέταξεν καὶ τούτοις ὁμοῦ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐπιμελῶς ὡς ἐκείνοις ποιῆσαι, μὴ λειπομένοις κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον τῆς ἐκείνων τιμωρίας·
3:14ἀπογραφῆναι δὲ πᾶν τὸ φῦλον ἐξ ὀνόματος, οὐκ εἰς τὴν ἔμπροσθεν βραχεῖ προδεδηλωμένην τῶν ἔργων κατὰ τρόπον λατρείαν, στρεβλωθέντας δὲ παρηγγελμέναις αἰκίαις τὸ τέλος ἀφανίσαι μιᾶς ὑπὸ καιρὸν ἡμέρας.
3:15ἐγίνετο μὲν οὖν ἡ τούτων ἀπογραφὴ μετὰ πικρᾶς σπουδῆς καὶ φιλοτίμου προσεδρίας ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου μέχρι δυσμῶν, ἀνήνυτον λαμβάνουσα τὸ τέλος ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα.
3:16Μεγάλως δὲ καὶ διηνεκῶς ὁ βασιλεὺς χαρᾷ πεπληρωμένος, συμπόσια ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν εἰδώλων συνιστάμενος, πεπληρωμένῃ πόρρω τῆς ἀληθείας φρενὶ καὶ βεβήλῳ στόματι, κωφὰ καὶ μὴ δυνάμενα αὐτοῖς λαλεῖν ἢ ἀρήγειν ἐπαινῶν, εἰς δὲ τὸν θεὸν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα λαλῶν.
3:17μετὰ δὲ τὸ προειρημένον τοῦ χρόνου διάστημα προηνέγκαντο οἱ γραμματεῖς τῷ βασιλεῖ, μηκέτι ἰσχύειν τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπογραφὴν ποιεῖσθαι διὰ τὴν ἀμέτρητον αὐτῶν πληθύν·
3:18καίπερ ὄντων ἔτι κατὰ τὴν χώραν τῶν πλειόνων, τῶν μὲν κατὰ τὰς οἰκίας ἔτι συνεστηκότων, τῶν δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τόπον, ὡς ἀδυνάτου καθεστῶτος πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐπʼ Αἴγυπτον στρατηγοῖς.
3:19ἀπειλήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῖς σκληρότερον, ὡς δεδωροκοπημένοις εἰς μηχανὴν τῆς ἐκφυγῆς, συνέβη σαφῶς αὐτὸν περὶ τούτου πιστωθῆναι,
3:20λεγόντων μετὰ ἀποδείξεως καὶ τὴν χαρτηρίαν ἤδη καὶ τοὺς γραφικοὺς καλάμους, ἐν οἷς ἐχρῶντο, ἐκλελοιπέναι.
3:21τοῦτο δὲ ἦν V11 απλετω V | παραδειγματισμον V | ευκερωτατω V* (ευκαιροτ. Vᵃ) | πασι V | τοις 2⁰] τους V | στελλομενους V | om μηδε 2⁰ A (hab V) | περιβολων V 13 om ως εκεινοις V 14 ουκ εις] εις γαρ V | κατα τροπον] καταπονον V στρεβλωθεντα A -τες V | παρηγγελμεναις] pr ταις V 15 om ουν V | η] + γη V | προσεδριας] προς ανδρειαν V | τεσσαρακ. V 16 om χαρα V | πεπλη- ρωμενος] πεπλανημ. V | επι] απο V | φρενι] φρονει A | βεβιλως V* (-βηλω Vᵃ) | κωφα] pr τα μεν V | η αρηγειν] παρηγ. V εις δε τα μη καθ. λαλων A (om V) 17 προσηνεγκαν V 18 συνεστηκοτων] νυν εστηκ. V | om και V* (superscr V¹) τον τοπον] om τον V | αδυνατου] δυνατου A | επ] υπο V 19 πιστωθη- ναι] πισθηναι V* (πεισθ. Vᵃ) 20 χαρτηραν V | εχθρω|το V*vid (εχρ. Vᵃ) ἐνέργεια τῆς τοῦ βοηθοῦντος τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ προνοίας A ἀνικήτου.
Chapter 3
3:1Wherever this decree was received, the people kept up a revelry of joy and shouting; as if their long-pent-up, hardened hatred, were now to shew itself openly.
3:2The Jews suffered great throes of sorrow, and wept much; while their hearts, all things around being lamentable, were set on fire as they bewailed the sudden destruction which was decreed against them.
3:3What home, or city, or place at all inhabited, or what streets were there, which their condition did not fill with wailing and lamentation?
3:4They were sent out unanimously by the generals in the several cities, with such stern and pitiless feeling, that the exceptional nature of the infliction moved even some of their enemies. These, influenced by sentiments of common humanity, and reflecting upon the uncertain issue of life, shed tears at this their miserable expulsion.
3:5A multitude of aged hoary-haired men, were driven along with halting bending feet, urged onward by the impulse of a violent, shameless force to quick speed.
3:6Girls who had entered the bridal chamber quite lately, to enjoy the partnership of marriage, exchanged pleasure for misery; and with dust scattered upon their myrrh-anointed heads, were hurried along unveiled, and, in the midst of outlandish insults, set up with one accord a lamentable cry in lieu of the marriage hymn.
3:7Bound, and exposed to public gaze, they were hurried violently on board ship.
3:8The husbands of these, in the prime of their youthful vigour, instead of crowns wore halters round their necks; instead of feasting and youthful jollity, spent the rest of their nuptial days in wailings, and saw only the grave at hand.
3:9They were dragged along by unyielding chains, like wild beasts: of these, some had their necks thrust into the benches of the rowers; while the feet of others were enclosed in hard fetters.
3:10The planks of the deck above them barred out the light, and shut out the day on every side, so that they might be treated like traitors during the whole voyage.
3:11They were conveyed accordingly in this vessel, and at the end of it arrived at Schedia. The king had ordered them to be cast into the vast hippodrome, which was built in front of the city. This place was well adapted by its situation to expose them to the gaze of all comers into the city, and of those who went from the city into the country. Thus they could hold no communication with his forces; nay, were deemed unworthy of any civilized accommodation.
3:12When this was done, the king, hearing that their brethren in the city often went out and lamented the melancholy distress of these victims,
3:13was full of rage, and commanded that they should be carefully subjected to the same (and not one whit milder) treatment.
3:14The whole nation was now to be registered. Every individual was to be specified by name; not for that hard servitude of labour which we have a little before mentioned, but that he might expose them to the before-mentioned tortures; and finally, in the short space of a day, might extirpate them by his cruelties.
3:15The registering of these men was carried on cruelly, zealously, assiduously, from the rising of the sun to its going down, and was not brought to an end in forty days.
3:16The king was filled with great and constant joy, and celebrated banquets before the temple idols. His erring heart, far from the truth, and his profane mouth, gave glory to idols, deaf and incapable of speaking or aiding, and uttered unworthy speech against the Greatest God.
3:17At the end of the above-mentioned interval of time, the registrars brought word to the king that the multitude of the Jews was too great for registration,
3:18inasmuch as there were many still left in the land, of whom some were in inhabited houses, and others were scattered about in various places; so that all the commanders in Egypt were insufficient for the work.
3:19The king threatened them, and charged them with taking bribes, in order to contrive the escape of the Jews : but was clearly convinced of the truth of what had been said.
3:20They said, and proved, that paper and pens had failed them for the carrying out of their purpose.
3:21Now this was the active interference of the unconquerable Providence which assisted the Jews from heaven.
Chapter 4
4:1Τότε προσκαλεσάμενος Ἕρμωνα τὸν πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιμελείᾳ, βαρείᾳ μεμεστωμένος ὀργῇ καὶ χόλῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀμετάθετος,
4:2ἐκέλευσεν ὑπὸ τὴν ἐρχομένην 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 Ἰουδαίων.
4:3ὁ μὲν τάδε προστάσσων ἐτρέπετο πρὸς τὴν εὐωχίαν, συναγαγὼν τοὺς μάλιστα τῶν φίλων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους.
4:4ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὸ προσταγὲν ἀραρότως Ἕρμων συνετέλει.
4:5οἵ 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.
4:6οἱ δὲ πάσης σκέπης ἔρημοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, διὰ τὴν πάντοθεν περιέχουσαν αὐτοὺς μετὰ δεσμῶν ἀνάγκην,
4:7τὸν παντοκράτορα κύριον καὶ πάσης δυνάμεως δυναστεύοντα, ἐλεήμονα θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πατέρα, δυσκαταπαύστῳ βοῇ πάντες μετὰ δακρύων ἐπεκαλέσαντο, δεόμενοι
4:8τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν μεταστρέψαι βουλὴν ἀνοσίαν, καὶ ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς μετὰ μεγαλομεροῦς ἐπιφανείας ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ πόδας ἐν ἑτοίμῳ μόρου.
4:9τούτων μὲν οὖν ἡ λιτανία ἐκτενῶς ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.
4:10ὁ 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.
4:11τὸ δὲ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος κτίσμα χρόνου καλὸν ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιβαλλόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ χαριζομένου πᾶσιν, οἷς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσει, ὕπνου μέρος ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν βασιλέα·
4:12καὶ ἡδίστῳ καὶ βαθεῖ κατεσχέθη τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ δεσπότου, τῆς ἀθέσμου μὲν προθέσεως πολὺ διεσφαλμένος, τοῦ δὲ ἀμεταθέτου λογισμοῦ μεγάλως διεψευσμένος.
4:13οἵ τε Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν προσημανθεῖσαν ὥραν V 1 την των ελ. επιμελειαν V | αμεταθετον V 2 om δρακεσι V | V αγριωσαντας V | αφθονως A 3 τους μαλιστα] om τους V | εχοντας] εχου- σης V 4 αραροτως τω (το Vᵃ) προσταγεν V | Ερμων] pr τω V* (ras V?) 5 ασφαλιαν V* (-λειαν Vᵃ) 7 om και 2° V 8 μεταστρεψαι] κατα- στρεψαι V | επιφανιας V* (-νειας Vᵃ) 9 om ουν V | εκτενως η λιτανια (-νεια Vᵃ) V 10 περι τουτων] pr τα V 11 χρονου κτισμα V | θεληση Vᵃ | απεστειλεν εις τον βασιλεα subter lineas adscrips V 12 βαθει] βασει A | κατησχεθη A | ενεργια V* (-γεια Vᵃ) 13 προσ|ημανθησαν V* προ|ση- μανθεισαν Vᵃ A διαφυγόντες, τὸν ἅγιον ᾔνουν θεὸν αὐτῶν· καὶ πάλιν ἠξίουν τὸν εὐκατάλλακτον δεῖξαι μεγαλοσθενοῦς ἑαυτοῦ χειρὸς κράτος ἔθνεσιν ὑπερηφάνοις.
4:14μεσούσης δὲ ἤδη δεκάτης ὥρας σχεδόν, ὁ πρὸς ταῖς κλήσεσιν τεταγμένος, ἀθρόους τοὺς κλητοὺς ἰδών, ἔνυξεν προσελθὼν τὸν βασιλέα.
4:15καὶ μόλις διεγείρας, ὑπέδειξε τὸν τῆς συμποσίας καιρὸν ἤδη παρατρέχοντα, τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον ποιούμενος.
4:16ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς λογισάμενος, καὶ τραπεὶς εἰς τὸν πότον, ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς παραγεγονότας ἐπὶ τὴν συμποσίαν ἄντικρυς ἀνακλῖναι αὐτοῦ.
4:17οὗ καὶ γενομένου, παρῄνει εἰς εὐωχίαν δόντας ἑαυτούς, τὸ παρὸν τῆς συμποσίας ἐπὶ πολὺ γεραιρομένους εἰς εὐφροσύνην καταθέσθαι μέρος.
4:18ἐπὶ πλεῖον δὲ προσκοπτούσης τῆς ὁμιλίας, τὸν Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ βασιλεύς, μετὰ πικρίας ἀπειλῆς ἐπυνθάνετο τίνος ἕνεκεν αἰτίας ἰάθησαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν περιοῦσαν ἡμέραν περιβεβιωκότες.
4:19τοῦ δὲ ὑποδείξαντος ὅτι νυκτὸς τὸ προσταγὲν ἐπὶ τέλος ἠγιοχέναι, καὶ τῶν φίλων αὐτῶν προσμαρτυρησάντων·
4:20τὴν ὠμότητα χείρονα Φαλάριδος ἐσχηκὼς ἔφη τὸ τῆς σήμερον ὕπνῳ χάριν ἔχειν αὐτούς· ἀνυπερθέτως δὲ εἰς τὴν ὑποστέλλουσαν ἡμέραν κατὰ τὸ ὅμοιον ἑτοίμασον τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἀθεμίτων Ἰουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.
4:21εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀσμένως πάντες μετὰ χαρᾶς οἱ παρόντες ὁμοῦ συναινέσαντες, εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἕκαστος ἀνέλυσεν.
4:22καὶ οὐχ οὕτως εἰς ὕπνον κατεχρήσαντο τὸν χρόνον τῆς νυκτός, ὡς εἰς τὸ παντοίους μηχανᾶσθαι τοῖς ταλαιπώροις δοκοῦσιν ἐμπαιγμούς.
4:23Ἄρτι δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ἐκέκραγεν ὄρθριος, καὶ τὰ θηρία καθωπλικὼς ὁ Ἕρμων ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ περιστύλῳ διεκίνει.
4:24τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πλήθη συνήθροιστο πρὸς τὴν οἰκτροτάτην θεωρίαν, προσδοκῶντα τὴν πρωίαν μετὰ σπουδῆς.
4:25οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ τὸν ἀμερῆ ψυχουλκούμενοι χρόνον, πολύδακρυν ἱκετίαν ἐν μέλεσιν γοεροῖς τείνοντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδέοντο τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ πάλιν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι συντόμως.
4:26οὔπω δὲ ἡλίου βολαὶ κατεπείροντο, καὶ 13 ευκαταλακτον (sic) AV 14 δεκατης] και της V | κλισεσιν V* (κλη- σεσι Vᵃ) | τεταγμενοις A | ενυξε V 15 υπεδειξεν V* (-ξε Vᵃ) 16 αυ- τους V 17 ου και γενομενου] και γενομενος V 18 προσκοπτουσης] προβαινουσης V | πικρας V | επυνθανεντο (sic) V* (-νετα Vᵃ) ιαθησαν V* (ειαθ. Vᵃ)] ιασθ. A 19 τα προσταγεντα V ηγηοχεναι Vᵃ αυτων] αυτου V 20 Φαιλαριδος A | υπνο| Vᵃ (υπνω V*fort) ειχεν A (εχειν V) | υποστελλουσαν] επιτελουσαν V | αφανισμω V* vid -σμον Va 21 συναινεσαντες] συνεσαντες (sic) A | ανελυσε V 22 ως εις το] ωστε V | 25 δε]] τε V | τον αμερη] τινα μερη V | ψυχολκουμενοι V | πολυδακρυον V | ικετειαν Vᵃ | μελεσι V 26 ουπου A (ουπω V) | κατεσπιρωντο V* -σπειρ. Vᵃ τοῦ βασιλέως τοὺς φίλους ἐκδεχομένου, ὁ Ἑρμων παραστὰς ἐπικαλεῖ A πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον, ὑποδεικνὺς τὸ πρόθυμον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν ἑτοίμῳ κεῖσθαι.
4:27τοῦ δὲ ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ καταπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνόμῳ ἐξόδῳ, κατὰ πάντα ἀγνωσίᾳ κεκρατημένος ἐπυνθάνετο, ὅτι τὸ διασαφούμενον ἔτι αὐτῷ μετὰ σπουδῆς τετέλεσται.
4:28τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἐνέργεια τοῦ πάντα δεσποτεύοντος θεοῦ, τῶν πρὶν αὐτῷ μεμηχανημένων λήθην κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐντεθεικότος.
4:29ὑπεδείκνυεν ὁ Ἕρμων καὶ πάντες οἱ φίλοι τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις Ἡτοίμασται, βασιλεῦ, κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκτενῆ πρόθεσιν.
4:30ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν πληρωθεὶς βαρεῖ χόλῳ, διὰ τὸ περὶ τούτων προνοίᾳ θεοῦ διεσκεδάσθαι πᾶν αὐτοῦ νόημα, ἐνατενίσας μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν
4:31Ὅσοι γονεῖς παρῆσαν ἢ παίδων γόνοι, τήνδε θηρσὶν ἀγρίοις ἐσκεύασαν δαψιλῆ θοίναν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνεγκλήτων ἐμοὶ καὶ προγόνοις ἐμοῖς ἀποδεδιγμένων ὁλοσχερῆ βεβαίαν πίστιν ἐξόχως Ἰουδαίων.
4:32καίπερ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῆς συστροφίας στοργὴν καὶ τῆς χρείας, τὸ ζῇν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐστερήθης.
4:33οὕτως ὁ Ἕρμων ἀπροσδόκητον ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπήνεγκεν ἀπειλήν· καὶ τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ συνεστάλη.
4:34ὁ καθʼ εἷς δὲ τῶν φίλων σκυθρωπῶς ὑπεκρέων, τοὺς συνηθροισμένους ἀπέλυσαν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσχολίαν.
4:35οἵ τε Ἰουδαῖοι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντες, τὸν ἐπιφανῆ θεὸν Κύριον, βασιλέα τῶν βασιλευόντων, ᾔνουν, καὶ τῆσδε τῆς βοηθείας αὐτοῦ τετευχότες.
4:36Κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς νόμους ὁ βασιλεὺς συστησάμενος πᾶν τὸ συμπόσιον, εἰς εὐφροσύνην τραπῆναι παρεκάλει.
4:37τὸν δὲ Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν Ποσάκις δὲ δεῖ σοι περὶ τούτων αὐτῶν σοι προστάττειν, ἀθλιώτατε;
4:38τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔτι καὶ νῦν καθόπλισον εἰς τὴν αὕριον ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.
4:39οἱ δὲ συνανακείμενοι συγγενεῖς τὴν ἀσταθῆ διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες, προεφέροντο τάδε
4:40Βασιλεῦ, μέχρι τίνος ὣς ἡμᾶς διαπειράζεις, προστάσσων ἤδη τρίτον αὐτοὺς ἀφανίσαι, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀναλύων τὰ 26 εκδεχομενος V | επικαλει] εκαλει V | υποδεικνυων V | εν ετοι V* (εν V ετοιμη Vᵃ) 27 ανομω] παρανομω V παντα] παν V | διασαφουμενον] διμα- φουν (sic) V* δειμ. Vᵃ | τετελεσθαι V 28 ενεργεια] pr η V | πανια] pr τα V | δεσποτευοντος] δυναστευοντος V | μηχανευμενων V* μεμηχανευμ. V¹ 29 ητοιμασθαι V 31 αποδεδειγμ. V | εξοχωσῑ| (sic) A 32 στοργης A | τουτου V | εστερεθης V 33 επικινδυνον] pr και V | τη ορασει] τω θρασει V 34 απελυεν V 35 βασιλευοντων] βασιλεων V 36 τους αυτους νομους] τουτους μονους V 37 om δει V | om σοι 2° V 40 ως] + αλλογους (sic) V | τα σοι] τας οικιας A A σοὶ δεδογμένα;
4:41ὧν χάριν ἡ πόλις διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν ὀχλεῖ· καὶ πληθύουσα συστροφαῖς ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύει πολλάκις διαρπασθῆναι.
4:42Ὅθευ ὁ κατὰ πάντα Φάλαρις βασιλεὺς ἐνπληθυνθεὶς ἀλογιστίας, καὶ τὰς γινομένας πρὸς ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐν αὐτῷ μεταβολὰς τῆς ψυχῆς παρʼ οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος, ἀτελέστατον βεβαίως ὅρκον ὁρισάμενος τούτους μὲν ἀνυπερθέτως πέμψειν εἰς ᾅδην ἐν γόνασιν καὶ ποσὶν θηρίων ᾐκισμένους,
4:43ἐπιστρατεύσαντα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, ἰσόπεδον πυρὶ καὶ δόρατι στήσεσθαι διὰ τάχους, καὶ τὸν ἄβατον ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ναὸν πυρὶ πρήσαντα ἐν τάχει τῶν συντελούντων ἐκεῖ θυσίαν εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον καταστήσειν.
4:44τότε περιχαρεῖς ἀναλύσαντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς μετὰ πίστεως, διέτασσον τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐκαιροτάτους τόπους τῆς πόλεως πρὸς τὴν τήρησιν.
4:45ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὰ θηρία σχεδόν, ὡς εἶπεν, εἰς κατάστεμα μανιῶδες ἀγιοχὼς εὐωδεστάτοις πόμασιν οἴνῳ λελιβανωμένῳ, φοβερῶς κεκοσμημένα κατασκευαῖς,
4:46περὶ τὴν ἕω, τῆς πόλεως ἤδη πλήθεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις κατὰ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καταμεμεστωμένης, εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ὤτρυνε τὸν βασιλέα.
4:47ὁ 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.
4:48ὡς δὲ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐξιόντων ἐπὶ πύλην, καὶ τῆς ἑπομένης ἐνόπλου δυνάμεως τῆς τε τοῦ πλήθους πορίας κονιορτὸν ἰδόντες, καὶ βαρυηχῆ θόρυβον ἀκούσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι,
4:49ὑστάτην 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.
4:50οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν γεγενημένας ἀντιλήμψεις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ συνιδόντες, V41 συστροφας V*vid (-φαις Vᵃ) 42 Φαλαρεις A | εμπληθυνθεις Vᵃ | αλοτιαις V* (-γιστιαις V¹) ατενεστατον A* vid (ατελ. A?) αδην] αλην (sic) Avid 43 στησεσθαι] θησεσθαι V | τον αβατον] post τον ras 2 litt A? | αυτων ημιν V | πρησαντα] πρην AV | θυσιας V 45 αγηοχως Vᵃ | om φοβερως κεκοσμημενα V | κατασκευας V | + ας Va(mg) 46 καταμεμεστωμενοις A 47 εξωρμησεν V* 48 επι] περι V | om τε V | πορειας Vᵃ 49 om αυτοις V | αθλειοτατης A | περιπλεκομενην V* (-νοι V¹) συνγενουσιν V | επεπιπτον Vᵃ vid | om μητερες V | μαστων V | εχουσαι] εχοντες AV* (εχουσαι Vᵃ) | ελκοντα γαλα] ελκονται αλλ A 50 αντιληψεις V πρηνεῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ῥίψαντες ἑαυτούς, καὶ τὰ νήπια χωρίσαντες A τῶν μαστῶν,
4:51ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ σφόδρα, τὸν τῆς ἁπάσης δυνάστην ἱκετεύοντες, οἰκτεῖραι μετὰ ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἤδη πρὸς πύλαις ᾅδου καθεστῶτας.
Chapter 4
4:1Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design,
4:2he 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.
4:3The 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.
4:4The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually.
4:5The 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.
4:6The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection; for chains fettered them about.
4:7They invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly besought with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power,
4:8to 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.
4:9Their litany so earnest went up to heaven.
4:10Then Hermon, who had filled his merciless elephants with copious draughts of mingled wine and frankincense, came early to the palace to certify the king thereof.
4:11He, 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.
4:12By 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.
4:13But 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.
4:14The 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.
4:15He gained his attention with difficulty, and hinting that the mealtime was getting past, talked the matter over with him.
4:16The king listened to this, and then turning aside to his potations, commanded the guests to sit down before him.
4:17This done, he asked them to enjoy themselves, and to indulge in mirth at this somewhat late hour of the banquet.
4:18Conversation 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.
4:19Hermon explained that he had done his bidding over night; and in this he was confirmed by his friends.
4:20The 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 to-morrow, as you did before, for the destruction of these accursed Jews.
4:21When the king said this, the company present were glad, and approved; and then each man went to his own home.
4:22Nor did they employ the night in sleep, so much as in contriving cruel mockeries for those deemed miserable.
4:23The morning cock had just crowed, and Hermon, having harnessed the brutes, was stimulating them in the great colonnade.
4:24The city crowds were collected together to see the hideous spectacle, and waited impatiently for the dawn.
4:25The Jews, breathless with momentary suspense, stretched forth their hands, and prayed the Greatest God, in mournful strains, again to help them speedily.
4:26The 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.
4:27The 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.
4:28But this was the working of that Almighty God who had made him forget all his purpose.
4:29Hermon, and all his friends, pointed out the preparation of the animals. They are ready, O king, according to your own strict injunction.
4:30The 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:
4:31Your 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.
4:32Had it not been for familiar friendship, and the claims of your office, your life should have gone for theirs.
4:33Hermon, being threatened in this unexpected and alarming manner, was troubled in visage, and depressed in countenance.
4:34The friends, too, stole out one by one, and dismissed the assembled multitudes to their occupations.
4:35The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him.
4:36Now the king arranged another banquet after the same manner, and proclaimed an invitation to mirth.
4:37And 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?
4:38Once more, arm the elephants against the morrow for the extermination of the Jews.
4:39His kinsmen, who were reclining with him, wondered at his instability, and thus expressed themselves:
4:40O 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.
4:41For this cause the feeling of expectation causes tumult in the city: it swarms with factions; and is continually on the point of being plundered.
4:42The 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.
4:43He 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.
4:44Joyfully 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.
4:45And 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.
4:46About 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.
4:47The 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 above-mentioned Jews .
4:48But 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,
4:49thought 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, mothers their daughters: other women held their infants to their breasts, which drew what seemed their last milk.
4:50Nevertheless, when they reflected upon the succour before granted them from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord; removed even the sucking children from the breast, and
4:51sent 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.
Chapter 5
5:1Ἐλεάζαρος δέ τις ἀνὴρ ἐπίσημος τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας Ἰουδαίων ἐν πρεσβείῳ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἤδη λελογχὼς καὶ πάσῃ τῇ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημίνος, τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν καταστείλας πρεσβυτέρους ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν ἅγιον θεόν, καὶ προσηύξατο τάδε
5:2Βασιλεῦ μεγαλοκράτωρ, ὕψιστε, παντοκράτωρ θεέ, τὴν πᾶσαν διακυβερνῶν ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς κτίσιν,
5:3ἔπιδε ἐπὶ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα, ἐφʼ ἡγιασμένου τέκνα Ἰακώβ, μερίδος ἡγιασμένης σου λαὸν ἐν ξένῃ γῇ ξένον ἀδίκως ἀπολλύμενον.
5:4πάτερ, σὺ Φαραὼ πληθύνοντα ἅρμασιν τὸν πρὶν Αἰγύπτου ταύτης δυνάστην ἐπαρθέντα ἀνόμῳ θράσει καὶ γλώσσῃ μεγαλορήμονι σὺν τῇ ὑπερηφάνῳ στρατίᾷ ποντοβρόχους ἀπώλεσας, φέγγος ἐπιφάνας ἐλέους Ἰσραὴλ γένει.
5:5σὺ τὸν ἀναριθμήτοις δυνάμεσιν γαυρωθέντα Σενναχηρεὶμ βαρὺν Ἀσσυρίων βασιλέα, δόρατι τὴν πᾶσαν ὑποχείριον ἤδη λαβόντα γῆν καὶ μετεωρισθέντα ἐπὶ τὴν ἁγίαν σου πόλιν, βαρέα λαλοῦντα κόμπῳ καὶ θράσει, σύ, δέσποτα, ἔθραυσας, ἔκδηλον δεικνὺς ἔθνεσιν πολλοῖς τὸ σὸν κράτος.
5:6σὺ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν τρεῖς ἑταίρους πυρὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐθαιρέτως δεδωκότας εἰς τὸ μὴ λατρεῦσαι τοῖς κενοῖς, διάπυρον δροσίσας κάμινον, ἐρρύσω μέχρι τριχὸς ἀπημάντους, φλόγα πᾶσιν ἐπιπέμψας τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις.
5:7σὺ τὸν διαβολαῖς φθόνου λέουσι κατὰ γῆς ῥιφέντα θηρσὶν βορὰν Δανιὴλ εἰς φῶς ἀνήγαγες ἀσινῆ·
5:8τόν τε βυθοτρεφοῦς ἐν γαστρὶ κήτους Ἰωνᾶν τηκόμενον ἀφιδὼν ἀπήμαντον πᾶσιν οἰκείοις ἀναδείξας, πάτερ.
5:9καὶ νῦν, μισούβρι, πολυέλεε, τῶν ὅλων δικαστά, τάχος ἐπιφάνηθι τοῖς ἁγίοις Ἰσραὴλ γένους, ὑπὸ ἐβδελυγμένων ἀνόμων 51 σπασης] πασης δυναμεως V | επιφανιας V* (-νειας Vᵃ) καθεστωτες V* v (-τας Vᵃ) VI 1 Ιουδαιων] ιερεων V | λελοχως V | καταστειλας] κατα- τησας V* (καταστησ. Vᵃ) | om και 2° V 2 μεγαλοκρατορ Vᵃ | υψιστα A παντοκρατορ Va | οικτειρμοις V* (οικτιρμ. Vᵃ) 3 om επι V | εφ] απο V | ξενων V | απολλυμενων Va 4 πατερ συ Φαραω] υπο Φαραω sup ras Aᵃ seq spat 2 fort litt πληθυοντα V | ανομω] τω V | μεγαλωρ. V* μεγα- λορ. Vᵃ | ποντοβρυχ. V | απολεσας V* (απωλ. Vᵃ) | ελεου V* (-ους Vᵃ) 5 δυναμεσι V | γαρωθεντα V* (γαυρ. Vᵃ) Σεναχειρειμ V | βαρῡ|ν V* (ν improb Vᵃ) την πασον υποχει, [κ]αι μετεωρισθεν, βαρεα λαλουντα madore corrosa rescr Vᵃ | βαρια V* -ρεια Vᵃ | θραυσας V | δικνυεις V* (δεικνυεις Vᵃ) 6 Βαβυλωνα V | διαπυρου V | δροσισας] χρονιας V | καμινου V | ερυσω V* (ερρ. Va) | τοιχος vel τειχος A* (τριχ. A¹) | φλογα πασιν] φλογασιν (sic) A 7 βορα A 7—9 multa paene evanuere, nonnulla rescr Vᵃ 8 βυθον τρεφους (sic, sed ε rescr) V | αφιδων] αφελων V 9 μισυβρι V | δικαστα] σκεπαστα V | ταχος] pr το V | αγιοις] απο V A ἐθνῶν ὑβριζομένοις.
5:10εἰ δὲ ἀσεβείαις κατὰ τὴν ἀποικίαν ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ἐνέσχηται, ῥυσάμενος ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν χειρός, ᾧ προαιρῇ, δέσποτα, ἀπόλεσον ἡμᾶς μόρῳ.
5:11μὴ τοῖς ματαίοις οἱ ματαιόφρονες εὐλογησάτωσαν ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἠγαπημένων σου ἀπωλείᾳ, λέγοντες Οὐδὲ ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν ἐρύσατο αὐτούς.
5:12σὺ δὲ ὁ πᾶσαν ἀλκὴν καὶ δυναστείαν ἔχων ἅπασαν, αἰώνιε, νῦν ἔπιδε· ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς τοὺς καθʼ ὕβριν ἀνόμων ἀλόγιστον ἐκ τοῦ ζῇν μεθισταμένους ἐν ἐπιβούλων τρόπῳ.
5:13πτηξάτω δὲ ἔθνη σὴν δύναμιν ἀνίκητον σήμερον, ἔντιμε, δυνάμεις ἔχων ἐπὶ σωτηρίαν Ἰακὼβ γένους.
5:14ἱκετεύει σε τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος τῶν νηπίων καὶ οἱ τούτων γονεῖς μετὰ δακρύων.
5:15δειχθήτω πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν, ὅτι μεθʼ ἡμῶν εἶ, κύριε, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψας τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀφʼ ἡμῶν· ἀλλὰ καθὼς εἶπας Οὐδὲ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν ὄντων ὑπέριδον αὐτούς, οὕτως ἐπιτέλεσον, κύριε.
5:16Τοῦ δὲ Ἐλεαζάρου λήγοντος ἄρτι τῆς προσευχῆς, ὁ βασιλεὺς σὺν τοῖς θηρίοις καὶ παντὶ τῷ τῆς δυνάμεως φρυάγματι κατὰ τὸν ἱππόδρομον παρῆγεν.
5:17καὶ θεωρήσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, μέγα εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνέκραξαν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς παρακειμένους αὐλῶνας συνηχήσαντας ἀκατάσχετον πτοὴν ποιῆσαι παντὶ τῷ στρατοπέδῳ.
5:18τότε ὁ μεγαλόδοξος καὶ παντοκράτωρ καὶ ἀληθινὸς θεός, ἐπιφάνας τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ πρόσωπον, ἠνέῳξεν τὰς οὐρανίους πύλας, ἐξ ὧν δεδοξασμένοι δύο φοβεροειδεῖς ἄγγελοι κατέβησαν φανεροὶ πᾶσιν πλὴν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις,
5:19καὶ ἀντέστησαν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν ὑπεναντίων ἐπλήρωσαν ταραχῆς καὶ δειλίας καὶ ἀκινήτοις ἔδησαν πέδαις.
5:20καὶ ὑπόφρικον καὶ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως σῶμα ἐγενήθη, καὶ λήθη τὸ θράσος αὐτοῦ τὸ βαρύθυμον ἔλαβεν.
5:21καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὰ θηρία ἐπὶ τὰς συνεπομένας ἐνόπλους δυνάμεις, καὶ κατεπάτουν αὐτοὺς καὶ ὠλέθρευον.
5:22Καὶ μετεστράφη τοῦ βασιλέως ἡ ὀργὴ εἰς οἶκτον καὶ δάκρυα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῷ μεμηχανευμένων.
5:23ἀκούσας γὰρ τῆς κραυγῆς, καὶ συνιδὼν πρηνεῖς ἅπαντας εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, δακρύσας μετ᾿ ὀργῆς τοῖς φίλοις διηπειλεῖτο, λέγων
5:24Παραβασιλεύετε, καὶ τυράννους ὑπερβεβηκότες ὠμότητι· καὶ ἐμέ αὐτὸν τὸν ὑμῶν εὐεργέτην ἐπιχειρεῖτε τῆς ἀρχῆς ἤδη καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος μεθιστᾷν, λάθρα μηχανώμενοι τὰ μὴ συμφέροντα V9 υβριζομενους V 10 ω] ως V 11 om τη V | απωλια V* (-λεια Vᵃ) | ερρυσατο Vᵃ 12 ανομον V | μεθιστανομενους V 13 εντιμε] εν τινι με A | δυναμεις] δυναμει A δυναμιν V | σωτηρια V 15 om εθνεσιν V | ουδε] οτι ουδ V | υπερειδον V 17 συνηχθησαντας AV | om πτοην V 18 om και 1⁰ V 20 βαρυθμον V* (-θυμ. Vᵃ) 21 αυτας V 23 διη- πειλειτο] ηπειλειτο V* (-λητο Vᵃ) 24 υπερβεβηκετε V | εμε αυτον] εμαυτον V | τον υμων] om τον V | επιχειρητε V* (-ρειτε Vᵃ) τῇ βασιλείᾳ.
5:25τίς τοὺς κρατήσαντας ἡμῶν ἐν πίστει τὰ τῆς χώρας A ὀχυρώματα τῆς οἰκίας ἀποστήσας, ἕκαστον ἀλόγως ἤθροισεν ἐνθάδε;
5:26τίς τοὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐνοίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς κατὰ πάντα διαφέροντας πάντων ἐθνῶν, καὶ τοὺς χειρίστους πλεονάκις ἀνθρώπων ἐπιδεδιγμένους κινδύνους, οὕτως ἀθέσμως περιέβαλεν αἰκίαις;
5:27λύσατε, ἐκλύσατε ἄδικα δεσμά· εἰς τὰ ἴδια μετ᾿ εἰρήνης ἐξαποστείλατε, τὰ προστεταγμένα παραιτησάμενοι.
5:28ἀπολύσατε τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ παντοκράτορος ἐπουρανίου θεοῦ ζῶντος, ὃς ἀφʼ ἡμετέρων μέχρι τοῦ νῦν προγόνων ἀπαραπόδιστον εὐστάθειαν μετὰ δόξης προφέρει τοῖς ἡμετέροις πράγμασιν.
5:29ὁ μἐν οὖν ταῦτα ἐξέλεξεν· οἱ δὲ ἐν ἀμερεῖ χρόνῳ λυθέντες, τὸν ἅγιον σωτῆρα θεὸν αὐτῶν ηὐλόγουν, ἄρτι τὸν θάνατον ἐκπεφυγότες.
5:30Εἶτα ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν πόλιν τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν προσόδων προσκαλεσάμενος, ἐκέλευσεν οἴνους τε καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πρὸς εὐωχίαν ἐπιτήδεια τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις χορηγεῖν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἑπτά, κρίνας αὐτούς, ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἔδοξαν τὸν ὄλεθρον ἀναλαμβάνειν, ἐν τούτῳ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ πάσῃ σωτήρια ἀγαγεῖν.
5:31τότε οἱ τὸ πρὶν ἐπονείδιστοι καὶ πλησίον τοῦ ἄδου, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ βεβηκότες, ἀντὶ πικροῦ καὶ δυσατάκτου μόρου κώθωνα σωτήριον συστησάμενοι, τὸν εἰς πτῶσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ τάφον ἡτοιμασμένον τόπον κλισίας κατεμερίσαντο πλήρεις χαρμονῆς.
5:32καταλήξαντες δέ θρήνων πανόδυρτον μέλος, ἀνέλαβον ᾠδὴν πάτριον, τὸν Ἰσραὴλ σωτῆρα καὶ τερατοποιὸν αἰνοῦντες θεόν· οἰμωγὴν δὲ πᾶσαν καὶ κωκυτὸν ἀπωσάμενοι, χοροὺς συνίσταντο εὐφροσύνης εἰρηνικῆς σημεῖον.
5:33ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ τούτων συμπόσιον βαρὺ συνάγων, ἀδιαλείπτως εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνθωμολογεῖτο μεγαλομερῶς ἐπὶ τῇ παραδόξῳ γενηθείσῃ αὐτῶν σωτηρίᾳ.
5:34οἵ τε πρὶν εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ οἰωνοβρώτους αὐτοὺς ἔσεσθαι τιθέμενοι καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀπογραψάμενοι, κατεστέναξαν αἰσχύνην ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς περιβαλόμενοι, καὶ πυρόπνουν τόλμαν ἀκμαίως ἐσβεσμένοι.
5:35οἴ τε Ἰουδαῖοι, καθὼς προειρήκαμεν, συστησάμενοι τὸν προειρημένον χορόν, μετ᾿ εὐωχίας 25 τις τους κρατησαντας] της του κρατησαντος A αποστησας] αποδησας V V ενθα V 26 παντα] παντας A και] pr μεσον δε V επιδεδειγμ. V 27 προστεταγμενοι] προπεπραγμενα V 28 μετα δοξης ευσταθειαν v προ- φερει] παρεχει V 29 30 multa paene evanuere in V 29 εξελεξεν] ελεξεν V 30 πολιν] + απαλλαγεις V ευωχιαν] ευχιων (sic) V σωτηριαν V αγαγειν] αγειν V 31 πληρης V* (- ρεις Vᵃ) 32 καταληξαντες] ε sup ras Aᵃ θρηνον V πανοδ. μελος] pr και V Ισραηλ σωτηρα] Ιηλ ορα· (sic) A om σωτηρα V δε 2⁰ τε V ειρηνικης] ειρηνης V 33 συνα- γαγων V om ουτων v 34 οινοβρωτους A om και 2⁰ V απο- γραψ αμενοι] αποστρεψαμενοι V εφ] επι V περιβαλλομενοι V πυροπνουν] pr την V ακμαιως] ακλεως V 35 χορον] χρονον A χρον· (sic) V* (χορον Vᵃ) A ἐν ἐξομολογήσεσιν ἱλαραῖς καὶ ψαλμοῖς διῆγον.
5:36καὶ κοινὸν ὁρισάμενοι περὶ τούτων θεσμὸν, ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν παροικίαν αὐτῶν εἰς γενεάς, τὰς προειρημένας ἡμέρας ἅγειν ἔστησαν εὐφροσύνους, οὐ πότου χάριν καὶ λιχνείας, σωτηρίας δὲ τῆς διὰ θεὸν γενομένης αὐτοῖς.
5:37ἐνέτυχον δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ, τὴν ἀπόλυσιν αὐτῶν εἰς τὰ ἴδια αἰτούμενοι.
5:38Ἀπογράφονται δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ πέμπτης καὶ εἰκάδος τοῦ Παχὼν ἕως τῆς τετάρτης τοῦ Ἐπιφί, ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα· συνίστανται δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἀπὸ πέμπτης τοῦ Ἐπιφὶ ἕως ἑβδόμης, ἡμέραις τρισίν.
5:39ἐν αἷς καὶ μεγαλοδόξως ἐπιφάνας τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ὁ τῶν πάντων δυνάστης ἀπταίστους αὐτοὺς ἐρρύσατο ὁμοθυμαδόν.
5:40Εὐωχοῦντο δὲ πάνθʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως χορηγούμενοι μέχρι τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης, ἐν ἧ καὶ τὴν ἐντυχίαν ἐποιήσαντο περὶ τῆς ἀπολύσεως αὐτῶν.
5:41συναινέσας δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔγραψεν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ πόλιν στρατηγοὺς μεγαλοψύχως τὴν ἐκτενίαν ἔχουσαν
Chapter 5
5:1And Eleazar, an illustrious priest of the country, who had attained to length of days, and whose life had been adorned with virtue, caused the presbyters who were about him to cease to cry out to the holy God, and prayed thus:
5:2O King, mighty in power, most high, Almighty God, who regulatest the whole creation with thy tender mercy,
5:3look upon the seed of Abraham, upon the children of the sanctified Jacob, thy sanctified inheritance, O Father, now being wrongfully destroyed as strangers in a strange land.
5:4Thou destroyedst Pharaoh, with his host of chariots, when that lord of this same Egypt was uplifted with lawless hardihood and loud-sounding tongue. Shedding the beams of thy mercy upon the race of Israel, thou didst overwhelm him with his proud army.
5:5When Sennacherim, the grievous king of the Assyrians, glorying in his countless hosts, had subdued the whole land with his spear, and was lifting himself against thy holy city, with boastings grievous to be endured, thou, O Lord, didst demolish him and didst shew forth thy might to many nations.
5:6When the three friends in the land of Babylon of their own will exposed their lives to the fire rather than serve vain things, thou didst send a dewy coolness through the fiery furnace, and bring the fire upon all their adversaries.
5:7It was thou who, when Daniel was hurled, through slander and envy, as a prey to lions down below, didst bring him back again unhurt to light.
5:8When Jonah was pining away in the belly of the sea-bred monster, thou didst look upon him, O Father, and recover him to the sight of his own.
5:9And now, thou who hatest insolence; thou who dost abound in mercy; thou who art the protector of all things; appear quickly to those of the race of Israel, who are insulted by abhorred, lawless Gentiles.
5:10If our life has during our exile been stained with iniquity, deliver us from the hand of the enemy, and destroy us, O Lord, by the death which thou preferrest.
5:11Let not the vain-minded congratulate vain idols at the destruction of thy beloved, saying, Neither did their God deliver them.
5:12Thou who art All-powerful and Almighty, O Eternal One, behold! have mercy upon us who are being withdrawn from life, like traitors, by the unreasoning insolence of lawless men.
5:13Let the heathen cower before thy invincible might to-day, O glorious One, who hast all power to save the race of Jacob.
5:14The whole band of infants and their parents with tears beseech thee.
5:15Let it be shewn to all the nations that thou art with us, O Lord, and hast not turned thy face away from us; but as thou saidst that thou wouldst not forget them even in the land of their enemies, so do thou fulfil this saying, O Lord.
5:16Now, at the time that Eleazar had ended his prayer, the king came along to the hippodrome, with the wild beasts, and with his tumultuous power.
5:17When the Jews saw this, they uttered a loud cry to heaven, so that the adjacent valleys resounded, and caused an irrepressible lamentation throughout the army.
5:18Then the all-glorious, all-powerful, and true God, displayed his holy countenance, and opened the gates of heaven, from which two angels, dreadful of form, came down, and were visible to all but the Jews.
5:19And they stood opposite, and filled the enemies' host with confusion and cowardice; and bound them with immoveable fetters.
5:20And a cold shudder came over the person of the king, and oblivion paralysed the vehemence of his spirit.
5:21They turned back the animals upon the armed forces which followed them; and the animals trod them down, and destroyed them.
5:22The king's wrath was converted into compassion; and he wept at his own machinations.
5:23For when he heard the cry, and saw them all on the verge of destruction, with tears he angrily threatened his friends, saying,
5:24Ye have governed badly; and have exceeded tyrants in cruelty; and me your benefactor ye have laboured to deprive at once of my dominion and my life, by secretly devising measures injurious to the kingdom.
5:25Who has gathered here, unreasonably removing each from his home, those who, in fidelity to us, had held the fortresses of the country?
5:26Who has thus consigned to unmerited punishments those who in good will towards us from the beginning have in all things surpassed all nations, and who often have engaged in the most dangerous undertakings?
5:27Loose, loose the unjust bonds; send them to their homes in peace, and deprecate what has been done.
5:28Release the sons of the almighty living God of heaven, who from our ancestors' times until now has granted a glorious and uninterrupted prosperity to our affairs.
5:29These things he said: and they, released the same moment, having now escaped death, praised God their holy Saviour.
5:30The king then departed to the city, and called his financier to him, and bade him provide a seven days' quantity of wine and other materials for feasting for the Jews. He decided that they should keep a gladsome festival of deliverance in the very place in which they expected to meet with their destruction.
5:31Then they who were before despised and nigh unto Hades, yea, rather advanced into it, partook of the cup of salvation, instead of a grievous and lamentable death. Full of exultation, they parted out the place intended for their fall and burial into banqueting booths.
5:32Ceasing their miserable strain of woe, they took up the subject of their fatherland, hymning in praise God their wonder-working Saviour. All groans, all wailing, were laid aside: they formed dances in token of serene joy.
5:33So, also, the king collected a number of guests for the occasion, and returned unceasing thanks with much magnificence for the unexpected deliverance afforded him.
5:34Those who had marked them out as for death and for carrion, and had registered them with joy, howled aloud, and were clothed with shame, and had the fire of their rage ingloriously put out.
5:35But the Jews, as we just said, instituted a dance, and then gave themselves up to feasting, glad thanksgivings, and psalms.
5:36They made a public ordinance to commemorate these things for generations to come, as long as they should be sojourners. They thus established these days as days of mirth, not for the purpose of drinking or luxury, but because God had saved them.
5:37They requested the king to send them back to their homes.
5:38They were being enrolled from the twenty-fifth of Pachon to the fourth of Epiphi, a period of forty days: the measures taken for their destruction lasted from the fifth of Epiphi till the seventh, that is, three days.
5:39The Ruler over all did during this time manifest forth his mercy gloriously, and did deliver them all together unharmed.
5:40They feasted upon the king's provision up to the fourteenth day, and then asked to be sent away.
5:41The king commended them, and wrote the subjoined letter, of magnanimous import for them, to the commanders of every city.
Chapter 6
6:1Βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ τοῖς κατʼ Aἴγυπτον στρατηγοῖς καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς τεταγμένοις ἐπὶ πραγμάτων χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρῶσθαι.
6:2ἐρρώμεθα δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν, κατευθύνοντος ἡμῖν τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ τὰ προστάγματα, καθὼς προαιρούμεθα.
6:3τῶν φίλων τινὲς κατὰ κακοήθειαν πυκνότερον ἡμῖν παρακείμενοι, συνέπεισαν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ τοὺς ὑπὸ τὴν βασιλείαν Ἰουδαίους συναθροίσαντας τὰ σνστήματα κολάζεσθαι ξενιζούσαις ἀποστάντων τιμωρίαις·
6:4προφερόμενοι μηδέποτε εὐσταθήσειν τὰ πράγματα ἡμῶν, δι᾿ ἣν ἔχουσιν οὗτοι πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη δυσμενίαν, μέχρι ἄν συντελεσθῇ τοῦτο.
6:5οἴ καὶ δεσμίους καταγαγόντες αὐτοὺς μετὰ σκυλμῶν ὡς ἀνδράποδα, μᾶλλον δὲ ὡς ἐπιβούλους, ἄνευ πάσης ἀνακρίσεως καὶ ἐξετάσεως ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνελεῖν, νόμου Σκυθῶν ἀγριοτέραν ἐνπεπηρμένοι ὠμότητα.
6:6ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοις σκληρότερον διαπειλησάμενοι, καθʼ ἣν ἔχομεν πρὸς ἄπαντας ἀνθρώπους ἐπιεικίαν, μόγις τὸ ζῆν αὐτοῖς χαριζόμενοι, καὶ τὸν ἐπουράνιον θεὸν ἐγνωκότες ἀσφαλῶς ὑπερησπικότα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, V36 λιχνιας V 38 εικαδος] ος sup ras V? | om του ΙΙαχων V Επιφει (1⁰) A om επι V ημερας V* (-ραις Vᵃ) 39 om αυτους V 40 πανθ] π sup ras A? 41 δε] τε V VII 1 ερρωσθε A 2 κατευθυναντος V προσταγματα] πραγματα V καθως προαιρ.] καθωσπερ αιρ. V 3 των φιλων] pr και V om κατα V συνεπεισαν] επεισαν V τα συστηματα] om τα V | κολασασθαι V αποστατων V 4 μηδεποτε] μηποτε V εθνη] pr παντα V δυσμενειαν Vᵃ om αν V 5 καταγαγοντες] συναγαγοντες V επεχειρησαν] προεπεχ. V om ανελειν V ενπεπηρμενοι] ενπεπορπημενοι V ωμοτητα] ωμ rescr Vᵃ 6 δε] γε V απαντας] παντας V επιεικειαν Vᵃ χαρισαμενοι V ὡς πατέρα ὑπέρ υἱῶν διὰ παντὸς συμμαχοῦντα,
6:7τὴν τε τοῦ φίλου A ἣν ἔχουσιν βεβαίαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς προγόνους ἡμῶν εὔνοιαν ἀναλογισάμενοι, δικαίως ἀπολελύκαμεν πάσης καθʼ ὁντινοῦν αἰτίας τρόπον.
6:8καὶ προστετάχαμεν ἑκάστῳ πάντας εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἐπιστρέφειν, ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ μηθενὸς αὐτοὺς τὸ σύνολον καταβλάπτοντος, μήτε ὀνειδίζοντος περὶ τῶν γεγενημένων παρὰ λόγον.
6:9γινώσκετε γὰρ ὅτι κατὰ τούτων ἐάν τι κακοτεχνήσωμεν πονηρόν, ἢ ἐπιλυπήσωμεν αὐτοὺς τὸ σύνολον, οὐκ ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸν πάσης δεσπόζοντα δυνάρεως θεὸν ὕψιστον ἀντικείμενον ἡμῖν ἐπʼ ἐκδίκησιν τῶν πραγμάτων κατὰ πᾶν ἀφεύκτως διὰ παντὸς ἕξομεν. ἔρρωσθε.
6:10Δαβόντες δὲ·τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην, οὐκ ἐσπούδασαν εὐθέως περὶ τὴν ἄφοδον, ἀλλὰ τὸν βασιλέα προσηξίωσαν τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ γένους τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν ἅγιον θεὸν αὐθαιρέτως παραβεβηκότας τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν νόμον, τυχεῖν δι᾿ αὐτῶν τῆς ὀφειλομένης κολάσεως·
6:11προφερόμενοι τοὺς γαστρὸς ἕνεκεν τὰ θεῖα παραβεβηκότας προστάγματα μηδέποτε εὐνοήσειν μηδὲ τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως προστάγμασιν.
6:12ὁ δὲ τἀληθές αὐτοὺς λέγειν παραδεξάμενος καὶ παραινέσας, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἄδειαν πάντων, ὅπως τοὺς παραβεβηκότας τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν νόμον ἐξολεθρεύσωσιν κατὰ πάντα τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ τόπον μετὰ παρρησίας, ἄνευ πάσης βασιλικῆς ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπισκέψεως.
6:13τότε κατευφημήσαντες αὐτόν, ὡς πρέπον ἦν, οἱ τούτων ἱερεῖς καὶ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος, ἐπιφωνήσαντες τὸ ἁλληλουιά, μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀνέλυσαν·
6:14οὗτοί τε τὸν ἐμπεσόντα τῶν μεμιαμμένων ὁμοεθνῆ κατὰ τὴν ὀδὸν ἀπέκτεννον, καὶ μετὰ παραδιγματισμῶν ἀνήρουν.
6:15ἐκείνῃ δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἀνεῖλον ὑπέρ τοὺς τριακοσίους ἄνδρας, ἣν καὶ ἤγαγον εὐφροσύνην μετὰ χαρᾶς βεβήλους χειρωσάμενοι.
6:16αὐτοὶ δὲ οἱ μέχρι θανάτου τὸν θεὸν ἐσχηκότες, παντελῆ σωτηρίαν ἀπόλυσιν ἐσχηκότες, ἀνέζευξαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως 6 πατερα] πηρ (sic) V 7 ην] pr δι A V εχουσι V απελυσαμεν V om V πασης V καθ οντινα ουν Vᵃ 8 τροπω] τοπω V |μηθεν A μηδενος V αυτοις V ονειδιζοντος] ονειδιζειν V γεγενημενων] γενομενων V 9 κακοτεχνασωμεν V εκδικησει V ερρωσθαι A V* (-σθε Vᵃ) 10 ευθεως] + γενεσθαι V αφοδον] ανωδον V (ανοδ. Vᵃ) βασιλεως A προσηξιωσαν] ξιω sup ras Aᵃ αυθετως V* (-θαιρετως Vᵃ) δια την A (δι ουτων V) οφειλομενης] οφιλουσης V (οφειλ. Vᵃ) 11 προσταγμασιν] πραγμασιν V 12 εξολοθρευσωσιν V* (-σι Vᵃ) την βασιλειαν V και 2⁰] η V 13 το αλλ.] pr τον A 14 ουτοι] ουτως V μεμιασμενων V ομοεθνει V* (- νῃ Vᵃ) απεκτεννον] εκολαζοντο V παραδειγμ. V 15 om ην V χειρωσαμενοι] κεχειρωμενοι V 16 σωτη- ριαν απολυσιν]ʼ σωτηριας απολαυσιν V εσχηκοτες 2⁰| ειληφοτες V ανεζευξεν A Οm ευωδεστατοις V ανθεσι V A βοῆς, ἐν αἴνοις καὶ πανμελέσιν ὕμνοις εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν ἁγίῳ σωτῆρι τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
6:17Παραγενηθέντες δὲ εἰς Πτολεμαίδα τὴν ὀνομαζομένην διὰ τὴν τοῦ τόπου ἰδιότητα ῥοδοφόρον, ἐν ᾖ προσέμεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ στόλος κατὰ κοινὴν αὐτῶν βουλὴν ἡμέρας ἑπτά,
6:18ἐκεῖ ἐποίησαν πότον σωτηρίου, τοῦ βασιλέως χορηγήσαντος αὐτοῖς εὐψύχως τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἄφιξιν πάντα ἑκάστῳ ἕως ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν οἰκίαν.
6:19καταχθέντες δέ μετʼ εἰρήνης ἐν ταῖς πρεπούσαις ἐξομολογήσεσιν, ὡσαύτως κἀκεῖ ἔστησαν καὶ ταύτας ἄγειν τὰς ἡμέρας ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς παροικίας αὐτῶν χρόνον εὐφροσύνους·
6:20ἃς καὶ ἀνιερώσαντες ἐν στήλῃ, κατὰ τὸν τῆς συμποσίας τόπον προσευχῆς καθιδρύσαντες, ἀνέλυσαν ἀσινεῖς, ἐλεύθεροι, ὑπερχαρεῖς, διά τε γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης καὶ ποταμοῦ ἀνασωζόμενοι τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιταγῇ, ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν
6:21ἔμπροσθεν, ἐν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐξουσίαν ἐσχηκότες μετὰ δόξης καὶ φόβου, τὸ σύνολον ὑπὸ μηδενὸς διασεισθέντες τῶν ὑπαρχόντων.
6:22καὶ πάντα τὰ ἑαυτῶν πάντες ἐκομίσαντο ἐξ ἀπογραφῆς, ὥστε τοὺς ἔχοντάς τι μετὰ φόρου μεγίστου ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς, τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ ποιήσαντος τελέως ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ αὐτῶν.
6:23Εὐλογητὸς ὁ ῥύστης Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τοὺς ἀεὶ χρόνους. ἀμήν.
Chapter 6
6:1King Ptolemy Philopator to the commanders throughout Egypt, and to all who are set over affairs, joy and strength.
6:2We, too, and our children are well; and God has directed our affairs as we wish.
6:3Certain of our friends did of malice vehemently urge us to punish the Jews of our realm in a body, with the infliction of a monstrous punishment.
6:4They pretended that our affairs would never be in a good state till this took place. Such, they said, was the hatred borne by the Jews to all other people.
6:5They brought them fettered in grievous chains as slaves, nay, as traitors. Without enquiry or examination they endeavoured to annihilate them. They buckled themselves with a savage cruelty, worse than Scythian custom.
6:6For this cause we severely threatened them; yet, with the clemency which we are wont to extend to all men, we at length permitted them to live. Finding that the God of heaven cast a shield of protection over the Jews so as to preserve them, and that he fought for them as a father always fights for his sons;
6:7and taking into consideration their constancy and fidelity towards us and towards our ancestors, we have, as we ought, acquitted them of every sort of charge.
6:8And we have dismissed them to their several homes; bidding all men everywhere to do them no wrong, or unrighteously revile them about the past.
6:9For know ye, that should we conceive any evil design against, or in any manner aggrieve them, we shall ever have as our opposite, not man, but the highest God, the ruler of all might. From Him there will be no escape, as the avenger of such deeds. Fare ye well.
6:10When they had received this letter, they were not forward to depart immediately. They petitioned the king to be allowed to inflict fitting punishment upon those of their race who had willingly transgressed the holy God, and the law of God.
6:11They alleged that men who had for their bellies' sake transgressed the ordinances of God, would never be faithful to the interests of the king.
6:12The king admitted the truth of this reasoning, and commended them. Full power was given them, without warrant or special commission, to destroy those who had transgressed the law of God boldly in every part of the king's dominions.
6:13Their priests, then, as it was meet, saluted him with good wishes, and all the people echoed with the Hallelujah. They then joyfully departed.
6:14Then they punished and destroyed with ignominy every polluted Jew that fell in their way;
6:15slaying thus, in that day, above three hundred men, and esteeming this destruction of the wicked a season of joy.
6:16They themselves having held fast their God unto death, and having enjoyed a full deliverance, departed from the city garlanded with sweet-flowered wreaths of every kind. Uttering exclamations of joy, with songs of praise, and melodious hymns they thanked the God of their fathers, the eternal Saviour of Israel.
6:17Having arrived at Ptolemais, called from the specialty of that district Rose-bearing, where the fleet, in accordance with the general wish, waited for them seven days,
6:18they partook of a banquet of deliverance, for the king generously granted them severally the means of securing a return home.
6:19They were accordingly brought back in peace, while they gave utterance to becoming thanks; and they determined to keep these days during their sojourn as days of joyfulness.
6:20These they registered as sacred upon a pillar, when they had dedicated the place of their festivity to be one of prayer. They departed unharmed, free, abundant in joy, preserved by the king's command, by land, by sea, and by river, each to his own home.
6:21They had more weight than before among their enemies; and were honoured and feared, and no one in any way robbed them of their goods.
6:22Every man received back his own, according to inventory; those who had obtained their goods, giving them up with the greatest terror. For the greatest God wrought with perfectness wonders for their salvation.
6:23Blessed be the Redeemer of Israel unto everlasting. Amen.