The Europa Barbarorum Quotes Project

[Urg]

how about ancient hebrew texts? like about military and stuff.

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to the bible and stuff like that, but I did some quick research into which parts of the Jewish / Christian religious texts are from the right time period. The books 1 & 2 Maccabees are from about 167-160 BC and concern the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucids.

I went through them and found some extracts. Some seem really good for military stuff and there's a couple of funny ones too. I like the one about the elephants and the mulberries.

Both books are Greek texts. Apparently one or both were originally in hebrew / aramaic but that version no longer survives. I'm no greek scholar (only ever learnt latin) so I have no idea whether the greek looks right - I have made a note of the ones where I'm not sure that I have extracted the right part of the verse in greek. Someone who knows greek will need to check them.

Sorry there's so many - but I tried to keep them all short and sweet. Enjoy.




καὶ διῆλθεν ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔλαβεν σκῦλα πλήθους ἐθνῶν. καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώθη, καὶ ἐπήρθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ.

He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up.

1 Maccabees 1:3 [Concerning Alexander]



καὶ ἐπλάτυνεν δόξαν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνεδύσατο θώρακα ὡς γίγας καὶ συνεζώσατο τὰ σκεύη τὰ πολεμικὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ πολέμους συνεστήσατο σκεπάζων παρεμβολὴν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ. καὶ ὡμοιώθη λέοντι ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ὡς σκύμνος ἐρευγόμενος εἰς θήραν.

He extended the glory of his people. Like a giant he put on his breastplate; he girded on his armor of war and waged battles, protecting the host by his sword. He was like a lion in his deeds, like a lion's cub roaring for prey.

Judas Maccabeus

1 Maccabees 3:3-4



εἶπον τῷ Ιουδα Τί δυνησόμεθα ὀλιγοστοὶ ὄντες πολεμῆσαι πρὸς πλῆθος τοσοῦτο ἰσχυρόν; καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκλελύμεθα ἀσιτοῦντες σήμερον.

"How can we, few as we are, fight against so great and strong a multitude? And we are faint, for we have eaten nothing today."

Jewish force to Judas Maccabeus before the Battle of Beth-Horon

1 Maccabees 3:17

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



Εὔκοπόν ἐστιν συγκλεισθῆναι πολλοὺς ἐν χερσὶν ὀλίγων, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν διαφορὰ ἐναντίον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ σῴζειν ἐν πολλοῖς ἢ ἐν ὀλίγοις·

It is easy for many to be hemmed in by few, for in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by few.

1 Maccabees 3:18

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



Περιζώσασθε καὶ γίνεσθε εἰς υἱοὺς δυνατοὺς

"Gird yourselves and be valiant."

Judas Maccabeus to the Jewish army before the Battle of Emmaus

1 Maccabees 3:58

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



Μὴ φοβεῖσθε τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ ὅρμημα αὐτῶν μὴ δειλωθῆτε·

"Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge"

Judas Maccabeus to the Jewish army before the Battle of Emmaus

1 Maccabees 4:8

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



καὶ συνετρίβησαν τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὸ πεδίον, οἱ δὲ ἔσχατοι πάντες ἔπεσον ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ.

The Gentiles were crushed and fled into the plain, and all those in the rear fell by the sword.

1 Maccabees 4:14-15

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



καὶ ἐγένετο ἑωθινῇ ἦραν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἰδοὺ λαὸς πολύς, οὗ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμός, αἴροντες κλίμακας καὶ μηχανὰς καταλαβέσθαι τὸ ὀχύρωμα καὶ ἐπολέμουν αὐτούς.

At dawn they looked up, and behold, a large company, that could not be counted, carrying ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold, and attacking the Jews within.

1 Maccabees 5:30



καὶ τοῖς ἐλέφασιν ἔδειξαν αἷμα σταφυλῆς καὶ μόρων τοῦ παραστῆσαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον.

They showed the elephants the juice of grapes and mulberries, to arouse them for battle.

Seleucid army at the Battle of Beth-Zechariah

1 Maccabees 6:34



καὶ πύργοι ξύλινοι ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ὀχυροὶ σκεπαζόμενοι ἐφ' ἑκάστου θηρίου ἐζωσμένοι ἐπ' αὐτοῦ μηχαναῖς, καὶ ἐφ' ἑκάστου ἄνδρες δυνάμεως τέσσαρες οἱ πολεμοῦντες ἐπ' αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁ Ἰνδὸς αὐτοῦ.

And upon the elephants were wooden towers, strong and covered; they were fastened upon each beast by special harness, and upon each were four armed men who fought from there, and also its Indian driver.

Seleucid army at the Battle of Beth-Zechariah

1 Maccabees 6:37



ὡς δὲ ἔστιλβεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ χαλκᾶς ἀσπίδας, ἔστιλβεν τὰ ὄρη ἀπ' αὐτῶν καὶ κατηύγαζεν ὡς λαμπάδες πυρός.

When the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the hills were ablaze with them and gleamed like flaming torches.

Seleucid army at the Battle of Beth-Zechariah

1 Maccabees 6:39



καὶ εἰσέδυ ὑπὸ τὸν ἐλέφαντα καὶ ὑπέθηκεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνεῖλεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐκεῖ.

He got under the elephant, stabbed it from beneath, and killed it; but it fell to the ground upon him and he died.

Eleazar Avaran at the Battle of Beth-Zechariah

1 Maccabees 6:46



καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ βελοστάσεις καὶ μηχανὰς καὶ πυροβόλα καὶ λιθοβόλα καὶ σκορπίδια εἰς τὸ βάλλεσθαι βέλη καὶ σφενδόνας.

He set up siege towers, engines of war to throw fire and stones, machines to shoot arrows, and catapults.

Antiochus V Eupator at Jerusalem

1 Maccabees 6:51

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



Μὴ γένοιτο ποιῆσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο, φυγεῖν ἀπ' αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰ ἤγγικεν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀποθάνωμεν ἐν ἀνδρείᾳ χάριν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν καὶ μὴ καταλίπωμεν αἰτίαν τῇ δόξῃ ἡμῶν.

"Far be it from us to do such a thing as to flee from them. If our time has come, let us die bravely for our brethren, and leave no cause to question our honour."

Judas Maccabeus to the Jewish army before the Battle of Elasa

1 Maccabees 9:10

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



καὶ ἐμερίσθη ἡ ἵππος εἰς δύο μέρη, καὶ οἱ σφενδονῆται καὶ οἱ τοξόται προεπορεύοντο τῆς δυνάμεως, καὶ οἱ πρωταγωνισταὶ πάντες οἱ δυνατοί, Βακχίδης δὲ ἦν ἐν τῷ δεξιῷ κέρατι.

The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, as did all the chief warriors.

Seleucid army at the Battle of Elasa

1 Maccabees 9:11

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m not sure if I have the right part.)



ἐκ τῶν δύο μερῶν καὶ ἐφώνουν ταῖς σάλπιγξιν, καὶ ἐσάλπισαν οἱ παρὰ Ιουδου καὶ αὐτοὶ ταῖς σάλπιγξιν· καὶ ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ τῆς φωνῆς τῶν παρεμβολῶν, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος συνημμένος ἀπὸ πρωίθεν ἕως ἑσπέρας.

Flanked by the two companies, the phalanx advanced to the sound of the trumpets; and the men with Judas also blew their trumpets. The earth was shaken by the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning till evening.

Battle of Elasa, 160 BC

1 Maccabees 9:12-13

(The quote is only part of the verse and I’m really not sure if I have the right part.)



ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ πόλεμος ἐξ ἐναντίας καὶ ἐξόπισθεν ἡμῶν, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ τοῦ Ιορδάνου ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν καὶ ἕλος καὶ δρυμός, οὐκ ἔστιν τόπος τοῦ ἐκκλῖναι·

For look! the battle is in front of us and behind us; the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that, with marsh and thicket; there is no place to turn.

Jonathan Maccabeus

1 Maccabees 9:45



καὶ ἐξήλλοντο οἱ ἐν τῇ ἑλεοπόλει εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἐγένετο κίνημα μέγα ἐν τῇ πόλει.

The men in the siege engine leaped out into the city, and a great tumult arose in the city.

Siege of Gazara

1 Maccabees 13:44



ἄρτι δὲ τῆς ἀνατολῆς διαχεομένης προσέβαλον ἑκάτεροι, οἱ μὲν ἔγγυον ἔχοντες εὐημερίας καὶ νίκης μετὰ ἀρετῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον καταφυγήν, οἱ δὲ καθηγεμόνα τῶν ἀγώνων ταττόμενοι τὸν θυμόν.

Just as dawn was breaking, the two armies joined battle, the one having as pledge of success and victory not only their valor but their reliance upon the Lord, while the other made rage their leader in the fight.

2 Maccabees 10:28



λεοντηδὸν δὲ ἐντινάξαντες εἰς τοὺς πολεμίους κατέστρωσαν αὐτῶν χιλίους πρὸς τοῖς μυρίοις, ἱππεῖς δὲ ἑξακοσίους πρὸς τοῖς χιλίοις· τοὺς δὲ πάντας ἠνάγκασαν φεύγειν.

They hurled themselves like lions against the enemy, and slew eleven thousand of them and sixteen hundred horsemen, and forced all the rest to flee.

2 Maccabees 11:11



καταρξάμενος τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ τὴν μεθ' ὕμνων κραυγὴν ἐνσείσας ἀπροσδοκήτως τοῖς περὶ τὸν Γοργίαν, τροπὴν αὐτῶν ἐποιήσατο.

In the language of their fathers he raised the battle cry, with hymns; then he charged against Gorgias' men when they were not expecting it, and put them to flight.

Jewish army against the Seleucids

2 Maccabees 12:37