3 Maccabees 5

1Then the king, filled with wrath and anger and inflexible in every respect, summoned Hermon, the keeper of the elephants.

τότε προσκαλεσάμενος Ἕρμωνα τὸν πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιμελείᾳ βαρείᾳ μεμεστωμένος ὀργῇ καὶ χόλῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀμετάθετος

2On the following day, he ordered that he take all the elephants—five hundred in number—and get them drunk with plenty of unmingled wine and abundant handfuls of frankincense. Then after they had grown wild from the bounteous abundance of drink, he was to lead them where the Jews would meet their fate.

ἐκέλευσεν ὑπὸ τὴν ἐπερχομένην ἡμέραν δαψιλέσι δράκεσι λιβανωτοῦ καὶ οἴνῳ πλείονι ἀκράτῳ ἅπαντας τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ποτίσαι ὄντας τὸν ἀριθμὸν πεντακοσίους καὶ ἀγριωθέντας τῇ τοῦ πόματος ἀφθόνῳ χορηγίᾳ εἰσαγαγεῖν πρὸς συνάντησιν τοῦ μόρου τῶν Ιουδαίων

3When he had issued these directives, he resumed his feasting, alone with those of his friends and of the army who were particularly hostile toward the Jews.

ὁ μὲν τάδε προστάσσων ἐτρέπετο πρὸς τὴν εὐωχίαν συναγαγὼν τοὺς μάλιστα τῶν φίλων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς Ιουδαίους

4Then Hermon, caretaker of the elephants, obediently carried out all his orders.

ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὸ προσταγὲν ἀραρότως Ἕρμων συνετέλει

5The servants responsible for the Jews went out at evening, binding the hands of these unfortunate people, and managed to keep them in custody all night. They expected the whole nation would meet a final destruction.

οἵ τε πρὸς τούτοις λειτουργοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἐξιόντες τὰς τῶν ταλαιπωρούντων ἐδέσμευον χεῖρας τήν τε λοιπὴν ἐμηχανῶντο περὶ αὐτοὺς ἀσφάλειαν ἔννυχον δόξαντες ὁμοῦ λήμψεσθαι τὸ φῦλον πέρας τῆς ὀλεθρίας

6But the Jews, thinking they were deprived of all protection from the Gentiles because of being bound on all sides,

οἱ δὲ πάσης σκέπης ἔρημοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν Ιουδαῖοι διὰ τὴν πάντοθεν περιέχουσαν αὐτοὺς μετὰ δεσμῶν ἀνάγκην

7called out to the Lord Almighty, Sovereign of all authority, their merciful God and Father. With tears and with a cry not easily silenced, they prayed

τὸν παντοκράτορα κύριον καὶ πάσης δυνάμεως δυναστεύοντα ἐλεήμονα θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πατέρα δυσκαταπαύστῳ βοῇ πάντες μετὰ δακρύων ἐπεκαλέσαντο δεόμενοι

8that He divert the unholy plot against them with a vengeance by a glorious appearance, and save them from the fate now present before them.

τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν μεταστρέψαι βουλὴν ἀνοσίαν καὶ ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς μετὰ μεγαλομεροῦς ἐπιφανείας ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ πόδας ἐν ἑτοίμῳ μόρου

9Their supplication went up earnestly to heaven.

τούτων μὲν οὖν ἐκτενῶς ἡ λιτανεία ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν

10Now Hermon got his pitiful elephants drunk by filling them up with a great abundance of wine and frankincense. Then he came to the court early in the morning to make his report to the king.

ὁ δὲ Ἕρμων τοὺς ἀνηλεεῖς ἐλέφαντας ποτίσας πεπληρωμένους τῆς τοῦ οἴνου πολλῆς χορηγίας καὶ τοῦ λιβάνου μεμεστωμένους ὄρθριος ἐπὶ τὴν αὐλὴν παρῆν περὶ τούτων προσαγγεῖλαι τῷ βασιλεῖ

11But God sent on the king a deep sleep, that good gift from the beginning of time which he has cast on those He favors during both night and the day.

τὸ δὲ ἀπ᾿ αἰῶνος χρόνου κτίσμα καλὸν ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιβαλλόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ χαριζομένου πᾶσιν οἷς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσῃ ὕπνου μέρος ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν βασιλέα

12Thus the king was restrained from his awful plan by the sweet and deep sleep from the Lord. He was disappointed in his lawless and unbending scheme.

καὶ ἡδίστῳ καὶ βαθεῖ κατεσχέθη τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ δεσπότου τῆς ἀθέσμου μὲν προθέσεως πολὺ διεσφαλμένος τοῦ δὲ ἀμεταθέτου λογισμοῦ μεγάλως διεψευσμένος

13But when the Jews escaped the appointed hour, they praised their holy God, and again beseeched Him who is easily reconciled to show the strength of His almighty hand to the haughty Gentiles.

οἵ τε Ιουδαῖοι τὴν προσημανθεῖσαν ὥραν διαφυγόντες τὸν ἅγιον ᾔνουν θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πάλιν ἠξίουν τὸν εὐκατάλλακτον δεῖξαι μεγαλοσθενοῦς ἑαυτοῦ χειρὸς κράτος ἔθνεσιν ὑπερηφάνοις

14By now it was almost the middle of the tenth hour, and the man in charge of banquet invitations arranged the guests together, came forward, and nudged the king.

μεσούσης δὲ ἤδη δεκάτης ὥρας σχεδὸν ὁ πρὸς ταῖς κλήσεσιν τεταγμένος ἀθρόους τοὺς κλητοὺς ἰδὼν ἔνυξεν προσελθὼν τὸν βασιλέα

15As soon as he finally roused him, he made a report about what was happening and informed him that the hour of the banquet had already passed.

καὶ μόλις διεγείρας ὑπέδειξε τὸν τῆς συμποσίας καιρὸν ἤδη παρατρέχοντα τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον ποιούμενος

16But as the king considered this, he returned to his drinking, and commanded those around him at the banquet to locate opposite him.

ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς λογισάμενος καὶ τραπεὶς εἰς τὸν πότον ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς παραγεγονότας ἐπὶ τὴν συμποσίαν ἄντικρυς ἀνακλῖναι αὐτοῦ

17When this was done, he urged them to give themselves to still more eating and drinking, so the effect of the banquet would be still more raucous.

οὗ καὶ γενομένου παρῄνει εἰς εὐωχίαν δόντας ἑαυτοὺς τὸ παρὸν τῆς συμποσίας ἐπὶ πολὺ γεραιρομένους εἰς εὐφροσύνην καταθέσθαι μέρος

18As the festivities progressed, the king summoned Hermon and with a direct threat asked why the Jews had made it alive through the present day.

ἐπὶ πλεῖον δὲ προβαινούσης τῆς ὁμιλίας τὸν Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ πικρᾶς ἀπειλῆς ἐπυνθάνετο τίνος ἕνεκεν αἰτίας εἰάθησαν οἱ Ιουδαῖοι τὴν περιοῦσαν ἡμέραν περιβεβιωκότες

19But when Hermon declared that while it was still night he had done what was ordered, the king's friends confirmed this.

τοῦ δὲ ὑποδείξαντος ἔτι νυκτὸς τὸ προσταγὲν ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγειοχέναι καὶ τῶν φίλων αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρησάντων

20Then overcome with a savagery worse than that of Phalaris, the king said that because of the day's sleep they received favor; but without delay on the coming day, Hermon must ready the elephants for the extermination of the godless Jews.

τὴν ὠμότητα χείρονα Φαλάριδος ἐσχηκὼς ἔφη τῷ τῆς σήμερον ὕπνῳ χάριν ἔχειν αὐτούς ἀνυπερθέτως δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐπιτελοῦσαν ἡμέραν κατὰ τὸ ὅμοιον ἑτοίμασον τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἀθεμίτων Ιουδαίων ἀφανισμόν

21So when the king had spoken, all the guests present willingly and joyfully agreed with the plan; then each departed for home.

εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀσμένως πάντες μετὰ χαρᾶς οἱ παρόντες ὁμοῦ συναινέσαντες εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἕκαστος ἀνέλυσεν

22However, they did not use the night for sleep, but to devise all sorts of insults for those they assumed had met their doom.

καὶ οὐχ οὕτως εἰς ὕπνον κατεχρήσαντο τὸν χρόνον τῆς νυκτός ὡς εἰς τὸ παντοίους μηχανᾶσθαι τοῖς ταλαιπώροις δοκοῦσιν ἐμπαιγμούς

23As soon as the cock crowed at dawn, Hermon harnessed the beasts and set them in motion in the great colonnade.

ἄρτι δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ἐκέκραγεν ὄρθριος καὶ τὰ θηρία καθωπλικὼς ὁ Ἕρμων ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ περιστύλῳ διεκίνει

24Crowds had gathered around the city for this pitiful sight, even before dawn.

τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πλήθη συνήθροιστο πρὸς τὴν οἰκτροτάτην θεωρίαν προσδοκῶντα τὴν πρωίαν μετὰ σπουδῆς

25But the Jews, at their last breath and at the last moment, made a tearful supplication in mournful songs. They stretched out their hands to heaven, and prayed to the Almighty God to quickly help them again.

οἱ δὲ Ιουδαῖοι κατὰ τὸν ἀμερῆ ψυχουλκούμενοι χρόνον πολύδακρυν ἱκετείαν ἐν μέλεσιν γοεροῖς τείνοντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδέοντο τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ πάλιν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι συντόμως

26The rays of the sun were not yet spreading when Hermon stood by and called the king and his friends, who were waiting. He pointed to the door and showed that what the king desired was ready.

οὔπω δὲ ἡλίου βολαὶ κατεσπείροντο καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως τοὺς φίλους ἐκδεχομένου ὁ Ἕρμων παραστὰς ἐκάλει πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον ὑποδεικνύων τὸ πρόθυμον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν ἑτοίμῳ κεῖσθαι

27But when the king received the report, he was terrified at the unusual invitation to come out. Completely overcome with bewilderment, he asked what this was which had been done so quickly.

τοῦ δὲ ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ καταπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ παρανόμῳ ἐξόδῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀγνωσίᾳ κεκρατημένος ἐπυνθάνετο τί τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐφ᾿ οὗ τοῦτο αὐτῷ μετὰ σπουδῆς τετέλεσται

28This was an act of God, Master over all things, who placed a forgetfulness in the king's mind about what had been plotted before.

τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἡ ἐνέργεια τοῦ πάντα δεσποτεύοντος θεοῦ τῶν πρὶν αὐτῷ μεμηχανημένων λήθην κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐντεθεικότος

29But Hermon and all the king's friends told him, 'The beasts and the troops are ready, O king, according to your eager purpose.'

ὑπεδείκνυεν ὁ Ἕρμων καὶ πάντες οἱ φίλοι τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις ἡτοιμάσθαι βασιλεῦ κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκτενῆ πρόθεσιν

30But at these words, he was filled with deep anger, because his whole plot had been scattered from his mind by God's providence. Then he glared at them and threatened,

ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν πληρωθεὶς βαρεῖ χόλῳ διὰ τὸ περὶ τούτων προνοίᾳ θεοῦ διεσκεδάσθαι πᾶν αὐτοῦ τὸ νόημα ἐνατενίσας μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν

31'If your parents or children were here, I would furnish them as a lavish feast for the wild beasts, instead of these innocent people, who have shown me and my fathers complete and unbending loyalty in everything asked of them.

ὅσοι γονεῖς παρῆσαν ἢ παίδων γόνοι τήνδε θηρσὶν ἀγρίοις ἐσκεύασα ἂν δαψιλῆ θοῖναν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνεγκλήτων ἐμοὶ καὶ προγόνοις ἐμοῖς ἀποδεδειγμένων ὁλοσχερῆ βεβαίαν πίστιν ἐξόχως Ιουδαίων

32In fact, if it were not for my familiarity with you and your usefulness, you would be deprived of life rather than them.'

καίπερ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῆς συντροφίας στοργὴν καὶ τῆς χρείας τὸ ζῆν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐστερήθης

33Thus, Hermon endured an unexpected and dangerous threat, and his eyes shifted and his countenance fell.

οὕτως ὁ Ἕρμων ἀπροσδόκητον ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπήνεγκεν ἀπειλὴν καὶ τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ συνεστάλη

34Then one by one the king's friends slunk away sullenly, and each one returned to his own business.

ὁ καθεῖς δὲ τῶν φίλων σκυθρωπῶς ὑπεκρέων τοὺς συνηθροισμένους ἀπέλυσαν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσχολίαν

35But when the Jews heard what the king said, they praised God as the revealed Lord and King of kings, since this happened to them because of His help.

οἵ τε Ιουδαῖοι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντες τὸν ἐπιφανῆ θεὸν κύριον βασιλέα τῶν βασιλέων ᾔνουν καὶ τῆσδε τῆς βοηθείας αὐτοῦ τετευχότες

36Meanwhile, the king restarted the banquet. He encouraged the guests to resume their merrymaking as before.

κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς νόμους ὁ βασιλεὺς συστησάμενος πᾶν τὸ συμπόσιον εἰς εὐφροσύνην τραπῆναι παρεκάλει

37Then he summoned Hermon and threatened him, saying, 'How many times must you be given orders about these same things, you worthless wretch?

τὸν δὲ Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν ποσάκις δὲ δεῖ σοι περὶ τούτων αὐτῶν προστάττειν ἀθλιώτατε

38Equip the elephants once again to crush the Jews tomorrow.'

τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔτι καὶ νῦν καθόπλισον εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν Ιουδαίων ἀφανισμόν

39But his administrators who were reclining together with him, curious as to his unstable mind, urged him, saying,

οἱ δὲ συνανακείμενοι συγγενεῖς τὴν ἀσταθῆ διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες προεφέροντο τάδε

40'How long, O king, are you going to tease us as if we were irrational, for you commanded now for the third time to destroy them? Then again you took back your command and what seemed good to you.

βασιλεῦ μέχρι τίνος ὡς ἀλόγους ἡμᾶς διαπειράζεις προστάσσων ἤδη τρίτον αὐτοὺς ἀφανίσαι καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀναλύων τὰ σοὶ δεδογμένα

41Because of this, the city is in turmoil, expecting you to act, and is in danger of being torn apart by the growing crowds.'

ὧν χάριν ἡ πόλις διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν ὀχλεῖ καὶ πληθύουσα συστροφαῖς ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύει πολλάκις διαρπασθῆναι

42At this point, the king, a Phalaris in every way, was filled with insanity, and counting as nothing his changes of mind concerning the care of the Jews, swore a firm oath to send them to Hades without delay, mangled by the feet and knees of the wild beasts.

ὅθεν ὁ κατὰ πάντα Φάλαρις βασιλεὺς ἐμπληθυνθεὶς ἀλογιστίας καὶ τὰς γινομένας πρὸς ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν Ιουδαίων ἐν αὐτῷ μεταβολὰς τῆς ψυχῆς παρ᾿ οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος ἀτελέστατον βεβαίως ὅρκον ὁρισάμενος τούτους μὲν ἀνυπερθέτως πέμψειν εἰς ᾅδην ἐν γόνασιν καὶ ποσὶν θηρίων ᾐκισμένους

43He would then attack the Jewish land and abruptly level it to the ground with fire and the spear, and burn down for all time the temple where they made sacrifices, which had been made inaccessible to him.

ἐπιστρατεύσαντα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Ιουδαίαν ἰσόπεδον πυρὶ καὶ δόρατι θήσεσθαι διὰ τάχους καὶ τὸν ἄβατον ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ναὸν πυρὶ πρηνέα ἐν τάχει τῶν συντελούντων ἐκεῖ θυσίας ἔρημον εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον καταστήσειν

44Then his friends and officials departed joyfully, and confidently assigned the forces to the key places in the city to keep watch.

τότε περιχαρεῖς ἀναλύσαντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς μετὰ πίστεως διέτασσον τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐκαιροτάτους τόπους τῆς πόλεως πρὸς τὴν τήρησιν

45Then the keeper of the elephants brought the beasts almost to a state of madness, so to speak, with the sweetest drinks of wine mixed with frankincense; and he equipped them with frightful devices.

ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὰ θηρία σχεδὸν ὡς εἰπεῖν εἰς κατάστεμα μανιῶδες ἀγειοχὼς εὐωδεστάτοις πόμασιν οἴνου λελιβανωμένου φοβερῶς κεκοσμημένα κατασκευαῖς

46So about dawn, when the city was filled with countless hordes of onlookers filling the hippodrome, he went into the court and urged the king to fulfill his purpose.

περὶ τὴν ἕω τῆς πόλεως ἤδη πλήθεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις κατὰ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καταμεμεστωμένης εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ὤτρυνε τὸν βασιλέα

47The king then worked up his depraved mind into a fit of wrath, and rushed out in full strength with all the beasts. With hardened heart, he wanted to see with his own eyes the lamentable and evil crushing of the Jews.

ὁ δὲ ὀργῇ βαρείᾳ γεμίσας δυσσεβῆ φρένα παντὶ τῷ βάρει σὺν τοῖς θηρίοις ἐξώρμησε βουλόμενος ἀτρώτῳ καρδίᾳ καὶ κόραις ὀφθαλμῶν θεάσασθαι τὴν ἐπίπονον καὶ ταλαίπωρον τῶν προσεσημαμμένων καταστροφήν

48The Jews saw the cloud of dust stirred up by the elephants as they came out of the gate, the armed forces behind them. They also heard the trampling of the throng and loud, boisterous noise.

ὡς δὲ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐξιόντων περὶ πύλην καὶ τῆς συνεπομένης ἐνόπλου δυνάμεως τῆς τε τοῦ πλήθους πορείας κονιορτὸν ἰδόντες καὶ βαρυηχῆ θόρυβον ἀκούσαντες οἱ Ιουδαῖοι

49They considered this the last moment of their lives and the end of their wretched uncertainty. Turning to one another in sorrow, they kissed each other with tears, and embracing their loved ones, they fell on their necks, parents and children and mothers and daughters, women with infants at their breasts drawing their last milk.

ὑστάτην βίου ῥοπὴν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνην δόξαντες εἶναι τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀθλιωτάτης προσδοκίας εἰς οἶκτον καὶ γόους τραπέντες κατεφίλουν ἀλλήλους περιπλεκόμενοι τοῖς συγγενέσιν ἐπὶ τοὺς τραχήλους ἐπιπίπτοντες γονεῖς παισὶν καὶ μητέρες νεάνισιν ἕτεραι δὲ νεογνὰ πρὸς μαστοὺς ἔχουσαι βρέφη τελευταῖον ἕλκοντα γάλα

50Nonetheless, when they recalled the help from heaven they had received earlier, they suddenly threw themselves face down, women taking the infants from their breasts,

οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν γεγενημένας ἀντιλήμψεις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ συνιδόντες πρηνεῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ῥίψαντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰ νήπια χωρίσαντες τῶν μαστῶν

51and they cried out in a loud voice, beseeching the Master of all to have mercy on them. For they were standing at the very gates of Hades.

ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ σφόδρα τὸν τῆς ἁπάσης δυνάμεως δυνάστην ἱκετεύοντες οἰκτῖραι μετὰ ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἤδη πρὸς πύλαις ᾅδου καθεστῶτας