I Maccabees 8

¹Now Judas had heard of the the Romans, that they were mighty and valiant men, and such as would lovingly accept all that joined themselves unto them, and make a league of amity with all that came unto them;

²And that they were men of great valour. It was told him also of their wars and noble acts which they had done among the Galatians, and how they had conquered them, and brought them under tribute;

³And what they had done in the country of Spain, for the winning of the mines of the silver and gold which is there;

⁴And that by their policy and patience they had conquered all the place, though it were very far from them; and the kings also that came against them from the uttermost part of the earth, till they had discomfited them, and given them a great overthrow, so that the rest did give them tribute every year:

⁵Beside this, how they had discomfited in battle Philip, and Perseus, king of the Citims, with others that lifted up themselves against them, and had overcome them:

⁶How also Antiochus the great king of Asia, that came against them in battle, having an hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was discomfited by them;

⁷And how they took him alive, and covenanted that he and such as reigned after him should pay a great tribute, and give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,

⁸And the country of India, and Media and Lydia and of the goodliest countries, which they took of him, and gave to king Eumenes:

⁹Moreover how the Grecians had determined to come and destroy them;

¹⁰And that they, having knowledge thereof sent against them a certain captain, and fighting with them slew many of them, and carried away captives their wives and their children, and spoiled them, and took possession of their lands, and pulled down their strong holds, and brought them to be their servants unto this day:

¹¹It was told him besides, how they destroyed and brought under their dominion all other kingdoms and isles that at any time resisted them;

¹²But with their friends and such as relied upon them they kept amity: and that they had conquered kingdoms both far and nigh, insomuch as all that heard of their name were afraid of them:

¹³Also that, whom they would help to a kingdom, those reign; and whom again they would, they displace: finally, that they were greatly exalted:

¹⁴Yet for all this none of them wore a crown or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby:

¹⁵Moreover how they had made for themselves a senate house, wherein three hundred and twenty men sat in council daily, consulting alway for the people, to the end they might be well ordered:

¹⁶And that they committed their government to one man every year, who ruled over all their country, and that all were obedient to that one, and that there was neither envy nor emulation among them.

¹⁷In consideration of these things, Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome, to make a league of amity and confederacy with them,

¹⁸And to intreat them that they would take the yoke from them; for they saw that the kingdom of the Grecians did oppress Israel with servitude.

¹⁹They went therefore to Rome, which was a very great journey, and came into the senate, where they spake and said.

²⁰Judas Maccabeus with his brethren, and the people of the Jews, have sent us unto you, to make a confederacy and peace with you, and that we might be registered your confederates and friends.

²¹So that matter pleased the Romans well.

²²And this is the copy of the epistle which the senate wrote back again in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that there they might have by them a memorial of peace and confederacy:

²³Good success be to the Romans, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: the sword also and enemy be far from them,

²⁴If there come first any war upon the Romans or any of their confederates throughout all their dominion,

²⁵The people of the Jews shall help them, as the time shall be appointed, with all their heart:

²⁶Neither shall they give any thing unto them that make war upon them, or aid them with victuals, weapons, money, or ships, as it hath seemed good unto the Romans; but they shall keep their covenants without taking any thing therefore.

²⁷In the same manner also, if war come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall be appointed them:

²⁸Neither shall victuals be given to them that take part against them, or weapons, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans; but they shall keep their covenants, and that without deceit.

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

³⁰Howbeit if hereafter the one party or the other shall think to meet to add or diminish any thing, they may do it at their pleasures, and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be ratified.

³¹And as touching the evils that Demetrius doeth to the Jews, we have written unto him, saying, Wherefore thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends and confederates the Jews?

³²If therefore they complain any more against thee, we will do them justice, and fight with thee 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.