4 Maccabees 9

Thomson · Brenton · Greek · public domain

Thomson 1808

Brenton 1851

Greek · Brenton

Thomson—

BrentonWhy delayest thou, O tyrant? for we are readier to die than to transgress the injunctions of our fathers.

GreekΤί μέλλεις, ὦ τύραννε; ἕτοιμοι γάρ ἐσμεν ἀποθνήσκειν, ἢ παραβαίνειν τὰς πατρίους ἡμῶν ἐντολάς.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd we should be disgracing our fathers if we did not obey the law, and take knowledge for our guide.

GreekΚαὶ αἰσχυνόμεθα γὰρ τοὺς προγόνους εἰκότως, εἰ μὴ τῇ τοῦ νόμου εὐπειθείᾳ καὶ συμβούλῳ γνώσει χρησαίμεθα.

Thomson—

BrentonO tyrant, counsellor of law-breaking, do not, hating us as thou dost, pity us more than we pity ourselves.

GreekΣύμβουλε τύραννε παρανομίας, μὴ ἡμᾶς μισῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς ἐλέα.

Thomson—

BrentonFor we account your pity of us on the terms of unlawful escape to be worse than death.

GreekΧαλεπώτερον γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοῦ θανάτου νομίζομεν εἶναί σου τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ παρανόμῳ σωτηρίᾳ ἡμῶν ἔλεον.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd you think to scare us, by threatening us with death by tortures, as though thou hadst learned nothing by the death of Eleazar.

GreekἘκφοβεῖς δὲ ἡμᾶς, τὸν διὰ τῶν βασάνων ἡμῖν θάνατον ἀπειλῶν, ὥσπερ οὐχὶ πρὸ βραχέως παρὰ Ἐλεαζάρου μαθών.

Thomson—

BrentonBut if aged men of the Hebrews have died in the cause of religion after enduring torture, more rightly should we younger men die, scorning your cruel tortures, which our aged instructor overcame.

GreekΕἰ δʼ οἱ γέροντες τῶν Ἑβραίων διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν καὶ βασανισμὸυς ὑπομείναντες ἀπέθανον, ἀποθάνοιμεν ἂν δικαιότερον ἡμεῖς οἱ νέοι, τὰς βασάνους τῶν σῶν ἀναγκῶν ὑπεριδόντες, ἃς καὶ ὁ παιδευτὴς γέρων ἐνίκησεν.

Thomson—

BrentonMake the attempt, then, O tyrant; and if thou puttest us to death for our religion, think not that thou harmest us by torturing us.

GreekΠείραζε γαροῦν τύραννε· καὶ τὰς ἡμῶν ψυχὰς εἰ θανατώσεις διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, μὴ νομίσῃς ἡμᾶς βλάπτειν βασανίζων.

Thomson—

BrentonFor we through this ill-treatment and endurance shall bear off the rewards of virtue.

GreekἩμεῖς μὲν γὰρ διὰ τῆσδε τῆς κακοπαθείας καὶ ὑπομονῆς, τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἆθλα οἴσομεν.

Thomson—

BrentonBut thou, for the wicked and despotic slaughter of us, shalt, from the Divine vengeance, endure eternal torture by fire.

GreekΣὺ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν μιαροφονίαν αὐτάρχη καρτερήσεις περὶ τῆς θείας δίκης αἰώνιον βάσανον διὰ πυρός.

Thomson—

BrentonWhen they had thus spoken, the tyrant was not only exasperated against them as being refractory, but enraged with them as being ungrateful.

GreekΤαῦτα αὐτῶν εἰπόντων, οὐ μόνον ὡς κατὰ ἀπειθούντων ἐχαλέπαινεν ὁ τύραννος, ἀλλʼ ὡς καὶ κατὰ ἀχαρίστων ὠργίσθη.

Thomson—

BrentonSo that, at his bidding, the torturers brought forth the eldest of them, and tearing through his tunic, bound his hands and arms on each side with thongs.

GreekὍθεν τὸν πρεσβύτατον αὐτῶν κελευθέντες παρήγαγον οἱ μαστισταὶ, καὶ διαῤῥήξαντες τὸν χιτῶνα διέδησαν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς βραχίονας ἱμᾶσιν ἑκατέρωθεν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd when they had laboured hard without effect in scourging him, they hurled him upon the wheel.

GreekὩς δὲ τύπτοντες ταῖς μάστιξιν ἐκοπίασαν, μηδὲν ἀνύοντες, ἀνέβαλον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τροχόν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd the noble youth, extended upon this, became dislocated.

GreekΠερὶ ὃν κατατεινόμενος ὁ εὐγενὴς νεανίας, ἔξαρθρος ἐγίνετο.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd with every member disjointed, he exclaimed in expostulation,

GreekΚαὶ κατὰ πᾶν μέλος κλώμενος κατηγόρει, λέγων,

Thomson—

BrentonO most accursed tyrant, and enemy of heavenly justice, and cruel-hearted, I am no murderer, nor sacrilegious man, whom thou thus ill-usest; but a defender of the Divine law.

GreekΤύραννε μιαιρώτατε, καὶ τῆς οὐρανίου δίκης ἐχθρὲ, καὶ ὠμόφρον, οὐκ ἀνδροφονήσαντά με τοῦτον καταικίζεις τὸν τρόπον, οὐδὲ ἀσεβήσαντα, ἀλλα θείου νόμου προασπίζοντα.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd when the spearmen said, Consent to eat, that you may be released from your tortures,—

GreekΚαὶ τῶν δορυφόρων λεγόντων, ὁμολόγησον φαγεῖν, οὕπως ἀπαλλαγῇς τῶν βασάνων,

Thomson—

Brentonhe answered, Not so powerful, O accursed ministers, is your wheel, as to stifle my reasoning; cut my limbs, and burn my flesh, and twist my joints.

Greekὁ δὲ εἶπεν, οὐχ οὕτως ἰσχυρὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν ὁ τρόπος, ὦ μιαιροὶ διὰκονοι, ὥστε μου τὸν λογισμὸν ἄξαι· τέμνετέ μου μέλη, καὶ πυροῦτε τὰς σάρκας, καὶ στρεβλοῦτε τὰ ἄρθρα.

Thomson—

BrentonFor through all my torments I will convince you that the children of the Hebrews are alone unconquered in behalf of virtue.

GreekΔιὰ πασῶν γὰρ ὑμᾶς πείσω τῶν βασάνων· ὅτι μόνοι παῖδες Ἑβραίων ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς εἰσιν ἀνίκητοι.

Thomson—

BrentonWhile he was saying this, they heaped up fuel, and setting fire to it, strained him upon the wheel still more.

GreekΤαῦτα λέγοντες εἰς πῦρ ἐπέτρωσαν, καὶ διερεθίζοντες, τὸν τροχὸν προσεπικατέτεινον.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd the wheel was defiled all over with blood, and the hot ashes were quenched by the droppings of gore, and pieces of flesh were scattered about the axles of the machine.

GreekἘμολύνετο δὲ πάντοθεν αἵματι ὁ τρόχος, καὶ ὁ σωρὸς τῆς ἀνθρακιᾶς τοῖς τῶν ἰχώρων ἐσβέννυτο σταλαγμοῖς, καὶ περὶ τοὺς αὔξονας τοῦ ὀργάνου περιέῤῥεον αἱ σάρκες.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd although the framework of his bones was now destroyed, the high-minded and Abrahamic youth did not groan.

GreekΚαὶ περιτετηκμένον ἤδη ἔχων τὸ τῶν ὀστέων πῆγμα ὁ μεγαλόφρων καὶ Ἀβραμιαῖος νεανίας οὐκ ἐστέναξεν.

Thomson—

BrentonBut, as though transformed by fire into immortality, he nobly endured the rackings, saying,

GreekἈλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐν πυρὶ μετασχηματιζόμενος εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν, ὑπέμεινεν εὐγενῶς τὰς στρέβλας.

Thomson—

BrentonImitate me, O brethren, nor ever desert your station, nor abjure my brotherhood in courage: fight the holy and honourable fight of religion;

GreekΜιμήσασθέ με, ἀδελφοὶ, λέγων· μή μου τὸν αἰῶνα λειποτακτήσητε, μηδʼ ἐξομόσησθέ μου τὴν τῆς εὐψυχίας ἀδελφότητα· ἱερὰν καὶ εὐγενῆ στρατείαν στρατεύσασθε περὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας.

Thomson—

Brentonby which means our just and paternal Providence, becoming merciful to the nation, will punish the pestilent tyrant.

GreekΔιʼ ἧς ἷλεως ἡ δικαία καὶ πάτριος ἡμῶν πρόνοια τῷ ἔθνει γενηθεῖσα τιμωρήσειεν τὸν ἀλάστορα τύραννον.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd saying this, the revered youth abruptly closed his life.

GreekΚαὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ ἱεροπρεπὴς νεανίας, ἀπέῤῥηξεν τὴν ψυχήν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd when all admired his courageous soul, the spearmen brought forward him who was second in point of age, and having put on iron hands, bound him with pointed hooks to the catapelt.

GreekΘαυμασάντων δὲ πάντων τὴν καρτεροψυχίαν αὐτοῦ, ἦγον οἱ δορυφόροι τὸν καθʼ ἡλικίαν τοῶ προτέρου δεύτερον, καὶ σιδηρᾶς ἐναρμοσάμενοί χεῖρας, ὀξέσιν τοῖς ὄνυξιν, τοῖς ὀργάνοις καταπέλτῃ προσέδησαν αὐτόν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd when, on enquiring whether he would eat before he was tortured, they heard his noble sentiment,

GreekὩς δὲ, εἰ φαγεῖν βούλοιτο πρὶν βασανίζεσθαι πυνθανόμενοι, τὴν εὐγενῆ γνώμην ἤκουσαν·

Thomson—

Brentonafter they with the iron hands had violently dragged all the flesh from the neck to the chin, the panther-like beasts tore off the very skin of his head: but he, bearing with firmness this misery, said,

Greekἀπὸ τῶν τενόντων ταῖς σιδηραῖς χερσὶν ἐπισπασάμενοι, μέχρι γε τῶν γενείων τὴν σάρκα πᾶσαν καὶ τὴν τῆς κεφαλῆς δορὰν οἱ παρδάλειοι θῆρες ἀπέσυραν· ὁ δὲ ταύτην βαρέως τὴν ἀλγηδόνα καρτερῶν, ἔλεγεν,

Thomson—

BrentonHow sweet is every form of death for the religion of our fathers! and he said to the tyrant,

GreekὩς ἡδὺς πᾶς τρόπος θανάτου, διὰ τὴν πάτριον ἡμῶν εὐσέβειαν· ἔφη τε πρὸς τὸν τύραννον,

Thomson—

BrentonThinkest thou not, most cruel of all tyrants, that thou art now tortured more than I, finding thy overweening conception of tyranny conquered by our patience in behalf of our religion?

GreekΟὐ δοκεῖς, πάντων ὠμότατε τύραννε, πλεῖων ἐμοῦ σε νὺν βασανίζεσθαι, ὁρῶν σου νικώμενον τὸν τῆς τυραννίδος ὑπερήφανον λογισμὸν ὑπὸ τῆς διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἡμῶν ὑπομονῆς.

Thomson—

BrentonFor I lighten my suffering by the pleasures which are connected with virtue.

GreekἘγὼ μὲν γὰρ ταῖς διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἡδοναῖς τὸν πόνον ἐπικουφίζομαι.

Thomson—

BrentonBut thou art tortured with threatenings for impiety; and thou shalt not escape, most corrupt tyrant, the vengeance of Divine wrath.

GreekΣὺ δὲ ἐν ταῖς τῆς ἀσεβείας ἀπειλαῖς βασανίζῃ· οὐκ ἐκφεύξῃ δὲ, μιαιρότατε τύραννε, τὰς τῆς θείας ὀργῆς δίκας.