Content

CAP 9
1 In the same tyme Antiok turnede ayen vnonestli fro Perses.
2 For he hadde entrid into that citee, that is seid Persibolis, and he temptide for to robbe the temple, and oppresse the citee; but for multitude ran togidere to armeris, thei weren turned in to fliyt; and so it bifelle, that Antiok after fliyt viliche turnede ayen.
3 And whanne he cam aboute Ebathana, he knew what thingis weren don ayens Nycanor and Tymothe.
4 Forsothe he was enhaunsid in wraththe, and demede that he myyte turne in to Jewis the wrong of hem, that hadden dryuun hym. And therfor he bad the chare for to be led in haste, doynge iourney with out ceessyng; for whi heuenli doom constreynede hym, for that he spak so proudli, that he schal come to Jerusalem, and to make it a gaderyng of sepulcre of Jewis.
5 But the Lord God of Israel, that biholdith alle thingis, smoot hym with a wounde incurable and inuisible; for as he endide this same word, an hard sorewe of entrails took hym, and bittere turmentis of inward thingis.
6 And sotheli iustli ynowy, for he that hadde turmentid the entrails of othere men, with many and newe turmentis, thouy he in no maner ceesside of his malice.
7 Forsothe ouer this he was fillid with pride, and brethide fier in soule ayens Jewis, and comaundynge the nede for to be hastid, it bifelle, that he goynge in fersnesse fallide doun of the chare, and that the membris weren trauelid with the greuouse hurtlyng togidere of bodi.
8 And he that semyde to hym silf for to comaunde also to wawis of the see, and ouer mannus maner was fillid with pride, and for to weie in balaunce the hiythis of hillis, was maad low to erthe, and was borun in a beere, and witnesside in him silf the opyn vertu of God;
9 so that wormes buyliden out of the bodi of the vnpitouse man, and the quyke fleischis of hym fletiden out in sorewis. Also with the sauour `of hym, and stynkynge, the oost `of hym was greuyd;
10 and no man myyte bere hym, for vnsuffryng of stynk, that a litil bifore demyde hym for to touche the sterris of heuene.
11 Therfor herbi he was led doun fro greuouse pride, and bigan for to come to knowyng of hym silf, and was warned bi Goddis veniaunce, for bi alle momentis his sorewis token encreessis.
12 And whanne he myyte not thanne suffre his stynk, thus he seide, It is iust for to be suget to God, and that a deedli man feele not euene thingis to God.
13 Forsothe the cursid man preiede the Lord of these thingis, of whom he schulde `not gete merci.
14 And now he desirith to yelde fre the citee, to which he cam hastynge, for to drawe doun it to erthe, and for to make a sepulcre of thingis borun togidere.
15 And now he bihetith to make the Jewis euene to men of Athenys, whiche Jewis he seide that he schulde not haue worthi, yhe, of sepulture, but to bitake to foulis and wielde beestis, for to be `to-drawun, and for to distrie with litle children;
16 also to ourne with beste yiftis the hooli temple, which he robbide bifore, and to multiplie hooli vessels, and to yyuynge of his rentis costis perteynynge to sacrifices;
17 ouer these thingis and that he schal be maad a Jewe, and to walke bi ech place of the lond, and to preche `the power of God.
18 But, for sorewis ceesiden not, the iust doom of God hadde aboue come on hym, he disperide, and wroot to Jewis, bi maner of bisechyng, `a pistle, conteynynge thes thingis.
19 To the beste citeseyns, Jewis, moost heelthe, and welfare, and to be riche, `ether in prosperite, the kyng and prince Antiok.
20 If ye faren wel, and youre sones, and alle thingis ben to you of sentence, we don moost thankyngis.
21 And Y am ordeyned in sikenesse, and sotheli Y am myndeful benygneli of you, and Y turnede ayen fro places of Persis, and am cauyt with greuouse infirmyte, and Y ledde nedeful for to haue cure for comyn profit; and Y dispeire not of my silf,
22 but Y haue myche hope to ascape sikenesse.
23 For Y biholde that also my fadir, in what tymes he ledde oost in hiyere places, schewide, who after hym schulde resseyue prinshod; if that ony contrarie thing bifelle,
24 or hard thing were teld, these that weren in cuntreis, schulden wite to whom the summe, `ether charge, of thingis was left, and schulden not be troblid.
25 To these thingis Y bihelde of next, that alle the myyti men and neiyboris aspien tymes, and abiden comynge, and Y haue ordeyned my sone Antiok kyng, whom Y, rennynge ayen ofte in to hiye rewmes, comendide to many of you, and Y wroot to hym what thingis ben suget.
26 Therfor Y preie you, and axe, that ye ben myndeful of benefices opynli and priueli, and that ech of you kepe feith to me, and to my sone.
27 For Y triste, that he schal do myldely, and manli, and sue my purpos, and be tretable to you.
28 Therfor the manquellere and blasfemere was smytun worst, and as he hadde tretid othere, he diede in pilgrimage in mounteyns, in wretchidful deth.
29 Forsothe Filip, his euene soukere, translatide, `ether bar ouer, the bodi; which dredde the sone of Antiok, and wente to Tolome Filomethore, in to Egipt.