Wild was the life led by Mattathias and his followers1 in the mountains--a life of danger and hardship; danger met manfully, hardship endured cheerfully. Amongst wild rocks, heaped together like the fragments of an elder world torn asunder2 by some fearful convulsion of Nature, the band of heroes found their home. Where the hyaena has its den3, and the leopard4 its lair5; where the timid wabber or coney hides in the stony6 clefts7, there the Hebrews lurked8 in caves, and manned the gigantic fastnesses which no human hands had reared, and from which it would be no easy task for any enemy to dislodge them.
The small band that had rallied round Mattathias when he withdrew from Modin, had been soon joined by other bold and zealous9 sons of Abraham, and the mountains became a place of refuge to many who fled from persecution10. As numbers increased, so did the difficulty of procuring11 means of subsistence. The Asmoneans and their followers chiefly lived upon roots. The less hardy12 of the band suffered severely13 from the chill of the frosts, the keenness of the sharp mountain air, the sharp winds that blew over snow-clad heights. But no voice of complaint was heard. Frequent forays were made into the plains; idol-altars were thrown down, forts were burnt, detachments of Syrians cut off. None of the enemy within many miles of the rocky haunts of the Asmoneans lay down to rest at night feeling secure from sudden attack during the hours of darkness; and oft-times the early morning light showed a heap of smouldering ruins where, on the evening before, the banners of Syria had waved on the walls of some well-manned fortress14.
To the bold spirit of Maccabeus there was something congenial in the adventurous15 kind of existence which he led, and yet he was not one who would have adopted a guerrilla life from choice. As even in a hard and rocky waste there are spots where rich vegetation betrays some source of hidden nourishment16 below, and they who dig deep enough under the surface find a spring of bright pure living waters,--so deep within the Asmonean's heart lay a hidden source of tenderness which prevented his nature from becoming hardened by the stern necessities of warfare17. This secret affection made the warrior18 more chivalrous19 to women, more indulgent to the weak, more compassionate20 to all who suffered. In the moment of triumph, "Will not Zarah rejoice?" was the thought which made victory more sweet; in preservation21 from imminent22 danger, the thought, "Zarah has been praying for me," made deliverance doubly welcome. When the evening star gleamed in the sky, its pure soft guiding orb23 seemed to Judas an emblem24 of Zarah; as he gazed on it, the warrior would indulge in delicious musings. This desperate warfare might not last for ever. If the Lord of Sabaoth should bless the arms of His servants; might not the time come when swords should be beaten into ploughshares, when children should play fearlessly in pastures which no oppressor's foot should tread, and the sound of bridal rejoicings be heard in the land of the free? Hopes so intensely delightful25 would then steal over the Asmonean's soul, that he would suddenly start like a sentinel who finds himself dropping asleep on his post. How dared the leader of Israel's forlorn hope indulge in reveries which made him feel how precious a thing life might be to himself, when he had freely devoted26 that life to the service of God and his country? When David was engaged in rescuing his flock from the lion and the bear, did he stop to gather the lilies of the field? "It is well," thought Judas Maccabeus, "that I have never told Zarah what is in my heart; if I fall, as I shall probably fall, on the field of conflict, I would not leave her to the grief of a widow."
An event was at hand which was felt as a heavy blow by all to whom the cause of Israel was dear, but more especially so by the Asmonean brethren, who from their childhood had regarded their father with reverence28 and affection.
Mattathias was an aged27 man, and though his spirit never sank under toil29 and hardship, his constitution soon gave way under their effects. The patriarch felt that his days, nay30, that his hours, were numbered, and summoned his sons around him to hear his last wishes, and to receive his parting blessing31.
In a cave near the foot of a mountain, stretched upon a soft couch of skins of animals slain32 in the chase, lay the venerable man. The pallor of death was already on his face, but its expression was tranquil33 and calm. The aged pilgrim looked like one who feels indeed that he has God's rod and staff to lean on while he is passing through the valley of the shadow of death. The full glare of noonday was glowing on the world without, but softened34 and subdued35 was the light which struggled into the cave, and fell on the form of the dying man, and the stalwart figures of the Asmonean brothers bending in mute sorrow around their honoured parent.
Mattathias bade his sons raise him a little, that he might speak to them with more ease. Jonathan and Eleazar, kneeling, supported him in their arms; while their three brothers, in the same attitude of respect, listened silently at his side to the patriarch's farewell address.
I shall not dare to add words of my own to those which the historian has preserved as the dying utterances36 of this noble old man--a hero, and the father of heroes. I give them as they fell upon the ears of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, who received them as Joseph received the parting blessing of Israel.
"Now hath pride and rebuke37 gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath38 of indignation. Now, therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant39 of your fathers. Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time, so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting40 name.
"Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed41 unto him for righteousness. Elias, for being zealous and fervent42 for the law, was taken up into heaven. Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing, were saved out of the flame. Daniel, for his innocence43, was delivered from the mouth of the lion. And thus, consider ye, throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in Him shall be overcome. Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant44, and show yourselves men in behalf of the law; for by it ye shall obtain glory."
The old man paused, as if to gather strength, and then stretching forth45 his wasted hand towards Simon, his second son, he went on:
"Behold46, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel; give ear unto him alway; he shall be a father unto you."
Then the hand was again extended, and this time laid on the bowed head of Maccabeus:
"As for Judas Maccabeus," said the dying man, in firmer accents, as if the very name inspired him with vigour47, "he hath been mighty48 and strong, even from his youth up; let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people."
There was no murmur49 of dissent50, not even a glance of jealousy51 from the eye of the generous Johannan, when his younger brothers were thus preferred before him, as superior in those qualities with which leaders should be endowed. Johannan knew, and was content to acknowledge, that the wisdom of Simon and the military talents of Judas far exceeded his own; he would serve with them, and serve under them, cheerfully submissive to the will of God and the counsels of his father. We find not the slightest trace of jealous rivalry52 amongst that glorious band of brethren, who all shared the privilege of suffering--three of dying--for their country.
Then, after solemnly blessing his five sons, Mattathias departed in peace, as one who has fought a good fight, and kept the faith to the end. Great lamentation53 was made throughout Judaea for him in whom the nation had lost a parent. The sons of Mattathias carried his body to Modin, and buried it in the sepulchre of his fathers.
In after-times of prosperity and peace Simon raised a fair monument of marble, in the form of seven lofty pillars, which could be seen from afar by those sailing over the blue waters of the Mediterranean54. The Asmonean prince placed this memorial there in honour of his parents and their five sons, after Jonathan, Eleazar, and Judas Maccabeus had sealed with their brave blood the testimony55 of their devotion to the cause of faith and of freedom.
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1
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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leopard
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| n.豹 | |
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lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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clefts
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| n.裂缝( cleft的名词复数 )；裂口；cleave的过去式和过去分词；进退维谷 | |
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lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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9
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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32
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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34
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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38
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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39
covenant
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| n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约 | |
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40
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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41
imputed
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| v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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43
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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44
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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45
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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46
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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47
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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48
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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49
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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50
dissent
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| n./v.不同意，持异议 | |
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51
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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52
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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53
lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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54
Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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55
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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