I Maccabees 8

¹And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and that they willingly agree to all things that are asked of them; and that, whoever was agreeable to them, they established a friendship with them, and so they are powerful and resourceful.

²And they heard of their battles, and the successful works that they had accomplished in Galatia, how they had subdued them and brought them under tribute,

³and what great things they had accomplished in the region of Spain, and that they had driven under their power the mines of silver and gold which are there, and that they had obtained possession of the entire place by their counsel and patience,

⁴and that they had overcome places that were very far from them, and kings, who came against them from the ends of the earth, and had crushed them and struck them with a great scourging, while the rest pay tribute to them every year,

⁵and that they had defeated in battle Philip, and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the others who had taken up arms against them, and had crushed them in warfare and subdued them,

⁶and how Antiochus, the great king of Asia, who brought a fight against them, having one hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and swift chariots, and a very great army, was crushed by them,

⁷and how they had captured him alive and had decreed to him that both he and those who would reign after him would pay a great tribute, and that he should provide hostages bound to an agreement,

⁸and that regions from the Indians, and from the Medes, and from the Lydians, from among their best regions, with those whom they had taken from them, they gave to king Eumenes.

⁹And those who were in Greece wanted to go out and defeat them, but they became aware of this plan.

¹⁰And so they sent one general to them, and he fought against them, and many of them fell, and they led into captivity their wives, and their sons, and they despoiled them and took possession of their land, and they destroyed their walls and drove them into servitude, even to this day.

¹¹And the remaining kingdoms and islands, which at any time had resisted them, they destroyed and drove under their power.

¹²But with their friends, and with those who remained at peace with them, they maintained friendship and conquered kingdoms: those that were near, and those that were far off. For all those who heard of their name were afraid of them.

¹³In fact, whomever they wanted to help become ruler, these reigned, but whomever they wanted, they deposed from the kingdom. And they were greatly exalted.

¹⁴And of all these, none wore a diadem or was clothed in purple, to be magnified in this.

¹⁵And also, they had made themselves a senate house, and they consulted daily with three hundred and twenty men, continually acting as a counsel for the multitude, so that they would do the things that were right.

¹⁶And they commit their government to one man each year, to rule over their entire land, and they all obey this one, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.

¹⁷And 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 an agreement of friendship and an alliance with them,

¹⁸and so that they would take away from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.

¹⁹And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered the senate house, and they said,

²⁰“Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you to establish with you an alliance and peace, and so that we may be registered among your associates and friends.”

²¹And the word was pleasing in their sight.

²²And this is a copy of the writing, which they rewrote on tablets of brass and sent to Jerusalem, so that it would be with them in that place as a memorial of the peace and alliance:

²³“May all be well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews, at sea and on land, forever, and may sword and enemy be far away from them.

²⁴But if a war is instituted against the Romans first, or against any of their allies in all their dominions,

²⁵the nation of the Jews will bring help to them, just as the situation shall direct, whole-heartedly.

²⁶And those who do battle, they need not provide with supplies of wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans, and they shall obey their orders, while taking nothing from them.

²⁷But in like manner also, if war will have fallen upon the nation of the Jews first, the Romans shall help them willingly, just as the situation permits them.

²⁸And those who give assistance will not be provided with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans. And they shall obey their orders without deceit.

²⁹According to these words, the Romans have made an agreement with the people of the Jews.

³⁰And, if after these words, one or another would want to add anything to, or take anything from these, they may do as they propose. And whatever they add or take away, it shall be ratified.

³¹Moreover, concerning the evils that king Demetrius did to them, we have written to him, saying, ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies, the Jews?

³²If, therefore, they come again to us against you, we will render judgment for them, and we will make war against you by sea and by land.’ ”

I Maccabees 8

¹Now 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.

²And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts which they had done in Galatia, how they had conquered them, and brought them under tribute:

³And 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:

⁴And 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.

⁵And 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:

⁶And 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.

⁷And 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,

⁸And 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.

⁹And that they who were in Greece, had a mind to go and to destroy them: and they had knowledge thereof,

¹⁰And 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.

¹¹And the other kingdoms, and islands, that at any time had resisted them, they had destroyed and brought under their power.

¹²But 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.

¹³That whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from the kingdom: and they were greatly exalted.

¹⁴And none of all these wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby.

¹⁵And that they had made themselves a senate house, and consulted daily three hundred and twenty men, that sat in counsel always for the people, that they might do the things that were right:

¹⁶And 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.

¹⁷So 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:

¹⁸And that they might take off from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.

¹⁹And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said:

²⁰Judas 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.

²¹And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.

²²And 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.

²³GOOD 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.

²⁴But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions:

²⁵The nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart:

²⁶Neither 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.

²⁷In 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:

²⁸And 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.

²⁹According to these articles did the Romans covenant with the people of the Jews.

³⁰And, if after this, one party or the other shall have a mind to add to these articles, or take away any thing, they may do it at their pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be ratified.

³¹Moreover, 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.

³²If, therefore, they come again to us complaining of thee, we will do them justice, and will make war against thee by sea and land.