1
Τότε προσκαλεσάμενος Ἕρμωνα τὸν πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιμελείᾳ, βαρείᾳ μεμεστωμένος ὀργῇ καὶ χόλῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀμετάθετος,
Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design,
2
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 Ἰουδαίων.
he 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.
3
Ὁ μὲν τάδε προστάσσων, ἐτρέπετο πρὸς τὴν εὐωχίαν, συναγαγὼν τοὺς μάλιστα τῶν φίλων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους.
The 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
Ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὸ προσταγὲν ἀραρότως Ἕρμων συνετέλει.
The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually.
5
Οἵ τε πρὸς τούτοις λειτουργοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἐξιόντες τὰς τῶν ταλαιπώρων ἐδέσμευον χεῖρας, τήν τε λοιπὴν ἐμηχανῶντο περὶ αὐτοὺς ἀσφάλειαν, ἔννυχον δόξαντες ὁμοῦ λήψεσθαι τὸ φῦλον πέρας τῆς ὀλεθρίας.
The 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.
6
Οἱ δὲ πάσης σκέπης ἔρημοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, διὰ τὴν πάντοθεν περιέχουσαν αὐτοὺς μετὰ δεσμῶν ἀνάγκην,
The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection; for chains fettered them about.
7
τὸν παντοκράτορα Κύριον καὶ πάσης δυνάμεως δυναστεύοντα, ἐλεήμονα Θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πατέρα, δυσκαταπαύστῳ βοῇ πάντες μετὰ δακρύων ἐπεκαλέσαντο δεόμενοι,
They invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly besought with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power,
8
τὴν κατʼ αὐτῶν μεταστρέψαι βουλὴν ἀνοσίαν, καὶ ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς μετὰ μεγαλομεροῦς ἐπιφανείας ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ πόδας ἐν ἑτοίμῳ μόρου.
to 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.
9
Τούτων μὲν οὖν ἐκτενῶς ἡ λιτανεία ἀνέβαινεν εἰς οὐρανόν.
Their litany so earnest went up to heaven.
10
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.
Then 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.
11
Τοῦτο δʼ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος χρόνου κτίσμα καλὸν ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιβαλλόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ χαριζομένου πᾶσιν οἷς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσῃ, ὕπνου μέρος ἀπέστειλε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα.
He, 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.
12
Καὶ ἡδίστῳ καὶ βαθεῖ κατεσχέθη τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ Δεσπότου, τῆς ἀθέσμου μὲν προθέσεως πολὺ διεσφαλμένος, τοῦ δὲ ἀμεταθέτου λογισμοῦ μεγάως διεψευσμένος.
By 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.
13
Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν προσημανθεῖσαν ὥραν διαφυγόντες, τὸν ἅγιον ᾔνουν Θεὸν αὐτῶν· καὶ πάλιν ἠξίουν τὸν εὐκατάλλακτον, δεῖξαι μεγαλοσθενοῦς αὐτοῦ χειρὸς κράτος ἔθνεσιν ὑπερηφάνοις.
But 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.
14
Μεσούσης δὲ ἤδη τῆς δεκάτης ὥρας σχεδὸν, ὁ πρὸς ταῖς κλήσεσι τεταγμένος, ἀθρόους τοὺς κλητοὺς ἰδὼν, ἔνυξε προσελθὼν τὸν βασιλέα.
The 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.
15
Καὶ μόλις διεγείρας, ὑπέδειξε τὸν τῆς συμποσίας καιρὸν ἤδη παρατρέχοντα, τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον ποιοῦμενος.
He gained his attention with difficulty, and hinting that the mealtime was getting past, talked the matter over with him.
16
Ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς λογισάμενος, καὶ τραπεὶς εἰς τὸν πότον, ἐκέλευσε τοὺς παραγεγονότας εἰς τὴν συμποσίαν ἄντικρυς ἀνακλιθῆναι αὐτοῦ.
The king listened to this, and then turning aside to his potations, commanded the guests to sit down before him.
17
Οὗ καὶ γενομένου, παρῄνει εἰς εὐωχίαν δόντας ἑαυτοὺς, τὸ παρὸν τῆς συμποσίας ἐπιπολὺ γεραιρομένους εἰς εὐφροσύνην καταθέσθαι μέρος.
This done, he asked them to enjoy themselves, and to indulge in mirth at this somewhat late hour of the banquet.
18
Ἐπιπλεῖον δὲ προβαινούσης τῆς ὁμιλίας, τὸν Ἕρμωνα μεταπεμψάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς, μετὰ πικρὰς ἀπειλῆς ἐπυνθάνετο, τίνος ἕνεκεν αἰτίας εἰάθησαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν περοῦσαν ἡμέραν περιβεβιωκότες.
Conversation grew on, and the king sent for Hermon, and inquired of him, with fierce denunciations, why the Jews had been allowed to outlive that day.
19
Τοῦ δὲ ὑποδείξαντος νυκτὸς τὸ προσταγὲν ἐπὶ τέλος ἠγηοχέναι, καὶ τῶν φίλων αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρησάντων,
Hermon explained that he had done his bidding over night; and in this he was confirmed by his friends.
20
τὴν ὠμότητα χείρονα Φαλάριδος ἐσχηκὼς ἔφη, τῷ τῆς σήμερον ὕπνῳ χάριν ἔχειν αὐτούς· ἀνυπερθέτως δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐπιτέλλουσαν ἡμέραν κατὰ τὸ ὅμοιον ἑτοίμασον τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἀθεμίτων Ἰουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.
The 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 tomorrow, as you did before, for the destruction of these accursed Jews.
21
Εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀσμένως πάντες μετὰ χαρᾶς οἱ παρόντες ὁμοῦ συναινέσαντες, εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἕκαστος ἀνέλυσε.
When the king said this, the company present were glad, and approved; and then each man went to his own home.
22
Καὶ οὐχ οὕτως εἰς ὕπνον κατεχρήσαντο τὸν χρόνον τῆς νυκτὸς, ὡς εἰς τὸ παντοίους μηχανᾶσθαι τοῖς ταλαιπώροις δοκοῦσιν ἐμπαιγμούς.
Nor did they employ the night in sleep, so much as in contriving cruel mockeries for those deemed miserable.
23
Ἄρτι δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ἐκεκράγει ὄρθριος, καὶ τὰ θηρία καθωπλικὼς ὁ Ἕρμων ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ περιστύλῳ διεκίνει.
The morning cock had just crowed, and Hermon, having harnessed the brutes, was stimulating them in the great colonnade.
24
Τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πλήθη συνήθροιστο πρὸς τὴν οἰκτροτάτην θεωρίαν, προσδοκῶντα τὴν πρωίαν μετὰ σπουδῆς.
The city crowds were collected together to see the hideous spectacle, and waited impatiently for the dawn.
25
Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ τὸν ἀμερῆ ψυχουλκούμενοι χρόνον, πολυδάκρυον ἱκετίαν ἐν μέλεσι γοεροῖς τείνοντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἐδέοντο τοῦ μεγίστου Θεοῦ, πάλιν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι συντόμως.
The Jews, breathless with momentary suspense, stretched forth their hands, and prayed the Greatest God, in mournful strains, again to help them speedily.
26
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.
The 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.
27
Τοῦ δὲ ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ καταπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ παρανόμῳ ἐξόδῳ, κατὰ πᾶν ἀγνωσίᾳ κεκρατημένος ἐπυνθάνετο, τί τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐφʼ οὗ τοῦτο αὐτῳ μετὰ σπουδῆς τετέλεσται.
The king, receiving him, was astonished at his unwonted exit; and, overwhelmed with a spirit of oblivion about everything, inquired the object of this earnest preparation.
28
Τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἡ ἐνέργεια τοῦ πάντα δεσποτεύοντος Θεοῦ, τῶν πρὶν αὐτῷ μεμηχανημένων λήθην κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐντεθεικότος.
But this was the working of that Almighty God who had made him forget all his purpose.
29
Ὁ δὲ Ἕρμων ὑπεδείκνυε καὶ πάντες οἱ φίλοι, τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις ἡτοιμάσθαι, βασιλεῦ, κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκτενῆ πρόθεσιν.
Hermon, and all his friends, pointed out the preparation of the animals. They are ready, O king, according to your own strict injunction.
30
Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ῥηθεῖσι πληρωθεὶς βαρεῖ χόλῳ, διὰ τὸ περὶ τούτων προνοίᾳ Θεοῦ διεσκεδᾶσθαι πᾶν αὐτοῦ τὸ νόημα, ἐνατενίσας μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν,
The 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:
31
εἴ σαι γονεῖς παρῆσαν ἢ παίδων γοναὶ, τήνδε θηρσὶν ἀγρίοις ἐσκεύασαν δαψιλῆ θοῖναν, ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνεγκλήτων ἐμοὶ καὶ προγόνοις ἐμοῖς ἀποδεδειγμένων ὁλοσχερῆ βεβαίαν πίστιν ἐξόχως, Ἰουδαίων.
Your 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.
32
Καί περ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῆς συστροφίας στοργὴν καὶ τῆς χρείας, τὸ ζῇν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐστερήθης.
Had it not been for familiar friendship, and the claims of your office, your life should have gone for theirs.
33
Οὕτως ὁ Ἕρμων ἀπροσδόκητον ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπήνεγκεν ἀπειλὴν, καὶ τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ συνεστάλη.
Hermon, being threatened in this unexpected and alarming manner, was troubled in visage, and depressed in countenance.
34
Ὁ καθεὶς δὲ τῶν φίλων σκυθρωπῶς ὑπεκρέων, τοὺς συνηθροισμένους ἀπέλυσαν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσχολίαν.
The friends, too, stole out one by one, and dismissed the assembled multitudes to their occupations.
35
Οἵ τε Ἰουδαῖοι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντες, τὸν ἐπιφανῆ Θεὸν καὶ βασιλέα τῶν βασιλέων ᾔνουν, καὶ τῆσδε τῆς βοηθείας αὐτοῦ τετευχότες.
The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him.
36
Κατὰ δὲ τούτους τοὺς νόμους ὁ βασιλεὺς συστησάμενος πάλιν τὸ συμπόσιον, εἰς εὐφροσύνην τραπῆναι παρεκάλει.
Now the king arranged another banquet after the same manner, and proclaimed an invitation to mirth.
37
Τὸν δὲ Ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπε, ποσάκις σοι δὲ περὶ τούτων αὐτῶν προστάττειν, ἀθλιώτατε;
And 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?
38
Τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔτι καὶ νῦν καθόπλισον εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.
Once more, arm the elephants against the morrow for the extermination of the Jews.
39
Οἱ δὲ συνανακείμενοι συγγενεῖς τὴν ἄστατον διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες, προεφέροντο τάδε
His kinsmen, who were reclining with him, wondered at his instability, and thus expressed themselves:
40
βασιλεῦ, μέχρι τίνος ὡς ἀλόγους ἡμᾶς διαπειράζεις, προστάσσων ἤδη τρίτον αὐτοὺς ἀφανίσαι, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀναλύων τὰ σοὶ δεδογμένα;
O 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.
41
Ὧν χάριν ἡ πόλις διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν ὀχλεῖ· καὶ πληθύουσα συστροφαῖς, ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύει πολλάκις διαρπασθῆναι.
For this cause the feeling of expectation causes tumult in the city: it swarms with factions; and is continually on the point of being plundered.
42
Ὅθεν ὁ κατὰ πάντα Φάλαρις βασιλεὺς ἐμπληθυνθεὶς ἀλογιστίας, καὶ τὰς γινομένας πρὸς ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐν αὐτῷ μεταβολὰς τῆς ψυχῆς παρʼ οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος, ἀτελέστατον ἐβεβαίωσεν ὅρκον, ὁρισάμενος τούτους μὲν ἀνυπερθέτως πέμψειν εἰς ᾅδην, ἐν γόνασι καὶ ποσὶ θηρίων ᾐκισμένους,
The 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.
43
ἐπιστρατεύσαντα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, ἰσόπεδον πυρὶ καὶ δόρατι θήσεσθαι διατάχους, καὶ τὸν ἄβατον αὐτῶν ἡμῖν ναὸν πυρὶ πρηνέα ἐν τάχει, καὶ τῶν συντελούντων ἐκεῖ θυσίας ἔρημον τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον καταστήσειν.
He 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.
44
Τότε περιχαρεῖς ἀναλύσαντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς, μετὰ πίστεως διέτασσον τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐκαιροτάτους τόπους τῆς πόλεως πρὸς τήρησιν.
Joyfully 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.
45
Ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης, τὰ θηρία σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν εἰς κατάστημα μανιῶδες ἀγηοχὼς, εὐωδεστάτοις πόμασιν οἴνῳ λελιβανωμένου φοβεραῖς κατεσκευασμένα σκευαῖς.
And 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.
46
Περὶ τὴν ἕω, τῆς πόλεως ἤδη πλήθεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις κατὰ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καταμεμεστωμένης, εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν, ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ὤτρυνε τὸν βασιλέα.
About 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.
47
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.
The 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].
48
Ὡς δὲ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐξιόντων περὶ πύλην, καὶ τῆς συνεπομένης ἐνόπλου δυνάμεως, τῆς τε τοῦ πλήθους πορείας κονιορτὸν ἰδόντες, καὶ βαρυηχῆ θόρυβον ἀκούσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι,
But 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,
49
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 παισὶ καὶ μητέρες νεάνισιν, ἕτεραι δὲ νεογνὰ πρὸς μαστοὺς ἔχουσαι βρέφη τελευταῖον ἕλκοντα γάλα.
thought 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.
50
Οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν γεγενημένας ἀντιλήψεις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ συνιδόντες, πρηνεῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ῥίψαντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰ νήπια χωρίσαντες τῶν μαστῶν,
Nevertheless, when they reflected upon the succor before granted them from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord; removed even the sucking children from the breast, and
51
ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ σφόδρα, τὸν τῆς ἁπάσης δυνάστην ἱκετεύοντες, οἰκτεῖραι μετὰ ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἤδη πρὸς πύλαις ᾅδου καθεστῶτας.
sent 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.