Judas hears of the great character of the Romans: he makes a league with them.

 1 Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and willingly agree to all things that are requested of them: and that whosoever have come to them, they have made amity with them, and that they are mighty in power.
Et audivit Judas nomen Romanorum, quia sunt potentes viribus, et acquiescunt ad omnia quae postulantur ab eis, et quicumque accesserunt ad eos, statuerunt cum eis amicitias : et quia sunt potentes viribus.

 2 And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts, which they had done in Galatia, how they conquered them, and brought them under tribute:
Et audierunt praelia eorum, et virtutes bonas, quas fecerunt in Galatia, quia obtinuerunt eos, et duxerunt sub tributum :

 3 And how great things they had done in the land of Spain, and that they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that are there, and had gotten possession of all the place by their counsel and patience:
et quanta fecerunt in regione Hispaniae, et quod in potestatem redegerunt metalla argenti et auri, quae illic sunt, et possederunt omnem locum consilio suo, et patientia :

 4 And had conquered places that were very far off from them, and kings that came against them from the ends of the earth, and had overthrown them with great slaughter: and the rest pay them tribute every year.
locaque quae longe erant valde ab eis, et reges, qui supervenerant eis ab extremis terrae, contriverunt, et percusserunt eos plaga magna : ceteri autem dant eis tributum omnibus annis.

 5 And that they had defeated in battle Philip, and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne arms against them, and had conquered them:
Et Philippum et Persen Ceteorum regem, et ceteros qui adversum eos arma tulerant, contriverunt in bello, et obtinuerunt eos :

 6 And how Antiochus the great king of Asia, who went to fight against them, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was routed by them:
et Antiochum magnum regem Asiae, qui eis pugnam intulerat habens centum viginti elephantos, et equitatum, et currus, et exercitum magnum valde, contritum ab eis :

 7 And how they took him alive, and appointed to him, that both he and they that should reign after him, should pay a great tribute, and that he should give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,
et quia ceperunt eum vivum, et statuerunt ei ut daret ipse, et qui regnarent post ipsum, tributum magnum, et daret obsides, et constitutum,

 8 And the country of the Indians, and of the Medes, and of the Lydians, some of their best provinces: and those which they had taken from them they gave to king Eumenes.
et regionem Indorum, et Medos, et Lydos, de optimis regionibus eorum : et acceptas eas ab eis, dederunt Eumeni regi,

 9 And that they who were in Greece had a mind to go and to destroy them: and they had knowledge thereof,
et quia qui erant apud Helladam, voluerunt ire, et tollere eos : et innotuit sermo his,

 10 And they sent a general against them, and fought with them, and many of them were slain, and they carried away their wives and their children captives, and spoiled them, and took possession of their land, and threw down their walls, and brought them to be their servants unto this day.
et miserunt ad eos ducem unum, et pugnaverunt contra illos, et ceciderunt ex eis multi, et captivas duxerunt uxores eorum et filios, et diripuerunt eos, et terram eorum possederunt, et destruxerunt muros eorum, et in servitutem illos redegerunt usque in hunc diem :

 11 And the other kingdoms, and islands, that at any time had resisted them, they had destroyed and brought under their power.
et residua regna, et insulas, quae aliquando restiterant illis, exterminaverunt, et in potestatem redegerunt.

 12 But with their friends, and such as relied upon them, they kept amity, and had conquered kingdoms that were near, and that were far off: for all that heard their name, were afraid of them.
Cum amicis autem suis, et qui in ipsis requiem habebant, conservaverunt amicitiam, et obtinuerunt regna, quae erant proxima, et quae erant longe : quia quicumque audiebant nomen eorum, timebant eos :

 13 That whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from a kingdom: and they were greatly exalted.
quibus vero vellent auxilio esse ut regnarent, regnabant : quos autem vellent, regno deturbabant : et exaltati sunt valde.

 14 And none of all these wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby.
Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema, nec induebatur purpura, ut magnificaretur in ea.

 15 And that they made themselves a senate house, and consulted daily three hundred and twenty men, that sat in council always for the people, that they might do the things that were right.
Et quia curiam fecerunt sibi, et quotidie consulebant trecentos viginti consilium agentes semper de multitudine, ut quae digna sunt, gerant :

 16 And that they committed their government to one man every year, to rule over all their country, and they all obey one, and there is no envy, nor jealousy amongst them.
et committunt uni homini magistratum suum per singulos annos dominari universae terrae suae, et omnes obediunt uni, et non est invidia, neque zelus inter eos.

 17 So Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make a league of amity and confederacy with them.
Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis filii Jacob, et Jasonem filium Eleazari, et misit eos Romam constituere cum illis amicitiam et societatem :

 18 And that they might take off from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.
et ut auferrent ab eis jugum Graecorum, quia viderunt quod in servitutem premerent regnum Israel.

 19 And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said:
Et abierunt Romam viam multam valde, et introierunt curiam, et dixerunt :

 20 Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews have sent us to you, to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may be registered your confederates and friends.
Judas Machabaeus, et fratres ejus, et populus Judaeorum, miserunt nos ad vos statuere vobiscum societatem et pacem, et conscribere nos socios et amicos vestros.

 21 And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.
Et placuit sermo in conspectu eorum.

 22 And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again, graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance.
Et hoc rescriptum est quod rescripserunt in tabulis aereis, et miserunt in Jerusalem, ut esset apud eos ibi memoriale pacis et societatis :

 23 GOOD SUCCESS BE TO THE ROMANS, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them.
Bene sit Romanis, et genti Judaeorum, in mari et in terra in aeternum : gladiusque et hostis procul sit ab eis.

 24 But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions:
Quod si institerit bellum Romanis prius, aut omnibus sociis eorum in omni dominatione eorum,

 25 The nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart:
auxilium feret gens Judaeorum, prout tempus dictaverit, corde pleno :

 26 Neither shall they give them, whilst they are fighting, or furnish them with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall obey their orders, without taking any thing of them.
et praeliantibus non dabunt, neque subministrabunt triticum, arma, pecuniam, naves, sicut placuit Romanis : et custodient mandata eorum, nihil ab eis accipientes.

 27 In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall permit them.
Similiter autem et si genti Judaeorum prius acciderit bellum, adjuvabunt Romani ex animo, prout eis tempus permiserit :

 28 And there shall not be given to them that come to their aid, either wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall observe their orders without deceit.
et adjuvantibus non dabitur triticum, arma, pecunia, naves, sicut placuit Romanis : et custodient mandata eorum absque dolo :

 29 According to these articles did the Romans covenant with the people of the Jews.
secundum haec verba constituerunt Romani populo Judaeorum.

 30 And if after this one party or the other shall have a mind to add to these articles, or take away anything, they may do it at their pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be ratified.
Quod si post haec verba hi aut illi addere aut demere ad haec aliquid voluerint, facient ex proposito suo : et quaecumque addiderint, vel dempserint, rata erunt.

 31 Moreover concerning the evils that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we have written to him, saying: Why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends, and allies, the Jews?
Sed et de malis, quae Demetrius rex fecit in eos, scripsimus ei, dicentes : Quare gravasti jugum tuum super amicos nostros, et socios Judaeos?

 32 If therefore they come again to us complaining of thee, we will do them justice, and will make war against thee by sea and land.
si ergo iterum adierint nos, adversum te faciemus illis judicium, et pugnabimus tecum mari terraque.