Bishops(i)
1 At the same time came Antiochus againe with dishonour out of Persia.
2 For when he came to Persepolis, and vndertoke to robbe the temple, and to subdue the citie, the people ranne together and defended them selues, insomuch that he and his were faine to flee with shame: and so after that flight it happened that Antiochus came againe with dishonour.
3 But when he came to Egbatana, he gat knowledge what was happened vnto Nicanor and Timotheus.
4 Now as he was auauncing him selfe in his wrath, he thought he was able to auenge the iniurie that was done to them vpon the Iewes: & therfore commaunded to make redy his charret, hasting on his iourney without ceassing, the iudgement of God prouoking him, because he had spoken so proudly, that he would come to Hierusalem, & make it a graue of the Iewes.
5 But the Lorde God of Israel, that seeth all thinges, smote him with an vncurable and an inuisible plague [which no man could heale.] For assoone as he had spoken these wordes, there came vpon him an horryble paine of his bowels, & a sore griefe of the inner partes,
6 And that was but right: for he had martyred other mens bowels with diuers and straunge tormentes.
7 Howbeit he woulde in no wyse ceasse from his malice: yea he was yet the prouder and more malicious against the Iewes: but whyle he was commaunding to make haste in the matter, it happened that he fell downe violently from the charret that ranne swiftly, so that it bruised his body, and did him great payne.
8 And so he that thought a litle before he might commaund the fluddes of the sea (so proude was he beyond the condition of man) and to waye the hye mountaynes in a payre of balaunce, was now brought downe to the grounde, and carried vpon a horslitter, knowledging the manifest power of God vpon him:
9 So that the wormes came out of the bodie of this wicked man in aboudance: and whiles he was aliue, his flesh fell of for paine and torment, and all his armie was greeued at his smell.
10 Thus he that a litle afore thought he might reache to the starres of heauen: him might no man now abide nor beare, for the vehemencie of stincke.
11 Therefore he being brought from his great pride, began for to come to the knowledge of him selfe: for the punishment of God warned him, & his payne encreased euer more and more.
12 And when he him selfe might not abide his owne stincke, he saide these wordes: It is reason to be obedient vnto God, and that a man which is mortall, thinke not through pride, him selfe to be equall vnto God.
13 This wicked person prayed also vnto the Lorde, who nowe woulde haue no mercie vpon him:
14 And as for the citie that he came vnto so hastyly, to bring it downe to the ground, and to make it a graue for dead men, now he desireth to deliuer it free:
15 And as touching the Iewes, whom he had iudged not worthy to be buried, but woulde haue cast them out with their children, for to be deuoured of the foules and wilde beastes, [saying that he woulde haue destroyed both olde and young:] now he promysed to make them like the citezins of Athens:
16 And where as he had spoyled the holy temple afore, nowe he maketh promyse to garnishe it with great giftes, to encrease the holy ornamentes, and of his owne rentes to beare the costes & charges belonging to the offringes:
17 Yea and that he would also become a Iewe hym selfe, to go through euery place of the worlde that was inhabyted, and to preache the power of God.
18 But when his paynes would not ceasse, (for the ryghteous iudgement of God was come vpon hym) out of a very dispayre he wrote vnto the Iewes a letter of intercession, conteyning these words:
19 The king and prince Antiochus, wisheth vnto the vertuous citezins of the Iewes much health and good prosperitie.
20 If ye and your children fare well, and if all thinges go after your minde, we geue great thankes.
21 In my sicknesse also do I remember you louyngly: for as I came out of Persia, & was taken with sore disease, I thought it necessary to care for the common wealth:
22 Neither dispaire I in my selfe, but haue a good hope to escape this sickenesse.
23 But considering that my father led an hoast somtime in the higher places, and shewed who should raigne after him,
24 That if there happened any controuersie, or any hard thing were declared, they in the lande might knowe their chiefe Lorde, that there should be no insurrection.
25 Againe, when I ponder with my selfe, how that al the mightie men and neighbours rounde about are laying wayte, & loke but for oportunitie to do harme: I haue ordeined that my sonne Antiochus shall raigne after me, whom I oft commended to many of you, when I was in the higher kingdomes, & haue written vnto him as it foloweth hereafter.
26 Therfore I pray you and require you to remember the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and in especiall, and that euery man wil be faythfull to me and my sonne.
27 For I hope that he shalbe of sober and louing behauour, and if he folowe my deuice, he shalbe indifferent vnto you.
28 Thus that murtherer and blasphemer of God was sore smitten: and like as he had intreated other men, so he died a miserable death in a straunge countrey vpon a mountayne.
29 And his body dyd Philip that went with him cary away, which fearing the sonne of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolomi Philometor.