While the scenes lately described had been occurring in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, Maccabeus, in the mountains, had been preparing for the deadliest shock of war. Like wave upon wave, each swelling1 higher than the one before it, successive armies hurled2 their strength against the devoted3 band that held aloft the banner of the truth, as a beacon-light gleaming on high amidst the fiercest fury of the tempest. The mighty4 Nicanor, son of Patroclus, a man honoured with the king's peculiar5 favour, had gathered together a powerful force "to root out the whole generation of the Jews," and with him was joined in command Georgias, a general of great experience in war.
A large camp was formed by the Syrians at Emmaus, about a Sabbath-day's journey from Jerusalem. The hills were darkened with their goats'-hair tents, the roads thronged6 with soldiers, and with a multitude of merchants who brought much silver and gold to purchase Hebrew captives as slaves for their markets. For so confident of victory was Nicanor, that he had beforehand proclaimed a sale of the prisoners whom he would reserve from slaughter7; nay8, had fixed9 the very price which he would demand for his vanquished10 foes12! Ninety of the Hebrew warriors13 should be sold for a talent, so ran Nicanor's proclamation.
"These bold outlaws," said the haughty14 Syrian, "shall spend their superfluous15 strength, as did their Samson of old, in grinding corn for their victors, or in tilling the fields which they once called their own, with the taskmaster's lash16 to quicken their labours. Ha! ha! it were good subject for mirth to see the lordly Maccabeus himself, with blinded eyes, turning the wheel at the well, and bending his proud back to serve as my footstool when I mount my Arab steed! This were sweeter vengeance17, a richer triumph, than to hew18 him to pieces with the sword which he took from the dead Apollonius. Let the Asmonean fall into my hands, and he shall taste what it is to endure a living death!"
Maccabeus, on his part, had led his forces to Mizpeh, where they had encamped. Here a day of solemn humiliation19 was appointed by the Asmonean chief; he and his warriors fasted, put on sackcloth, and united in prayer to the God of Hosts.
The leader then more perfectly20 organized his little army, dividing it into bands, and appointing captains over the divisions. While Divine aid was implored21, human means were not neglected.
Early in the morning of the succeeding day, Maccabeus and Simon, his elder brother, held grave consultation22 together. The scene around them was historic; the very heap of stones upon which the chiefs were seated marked the spot where the last leave of Laban had been taken by Jacob their forefather23, when returning to his aged24 parent.
But few months have elapsed since Judas stood, as the reader first saw him, by the grave of the martyrs25, but these eventful months have wrought26 a marked change upon the Asmonean leader. Fatigue27, hardship, the burden of care, the weight of responsibility, added to the sorrow of bereavement28, have left their stamps on his expressive29 features. Maccabeus looks a worn and a weary man; but there is increased majesty30 in his demeanour, that dignity which has nothing to do with pride; for pride has its origin in self-consciousness, true dignity in forgetfulness of self.
"This will be our sharpest conflict; the enemy is strong," observed Simon, glancing in the direction of the Syrian hosts, which lay between them and Jerusalem.
"With the God of Heaven it is all one to deliver with a great multitude or with a few," said Maccabeus.
"What is the number of our forces?" asked Simon.
"Six thousand, as given by yesterday's returns," was the reply; "but to-day I will make proclamation that they who are planting vineyards or building houses, or who have lately married wives, have full leave to retire if they will it, and then--ha! Eleazar returned already!" cried the leader, interrupting himself, as a young Hebrew, dressed as a Syrian merchant, with rapid step ascended31 the little eminence32 on which the Asmonean brothers were seated.
"I have been in the midst of them!" exclaimed Eleazar; "ay, I have stood in their tents, heard their songs, listened to their proud boastings, been present when the sons of Mammon bartered33 for the limbs and lives of the free-born sons of Abraham! They may have our bodies as corpses34," added the young Asmonean, with a proud smile, "but never as slaves; and even as corpses, they shall purchase us dearly."
"Know you the numbers of the Syrians?" inquired Simon, whose quiet, sedate35 manner formed a strong contrast to that of the fiery36 young Eleazar.
"Nicanor has forty thousand footmen and seven thousand horse," was the reply; "to say nothing of those who hang round his camp, as vultures who scent37 the carnage from afar."
"More than seven to one," observed Simon, slightly shaking his head.
"Hebrews have encountered worse odds38 than that," cried the young man.
"Ay, when all were stanch," his elder brother rejoined.
"Do you then doubt our men!" exclaimed Eleazar.
"Many of them will be faithful unto death; but I know that in some quarters there are misgivings--I may call them fears," was the grave reply of Simon. "Not all our troops are tried warriors; some in the camp have spoken of submission40."
"Submission!" cried Eleazar, clenching41 his hand; "I would lash the slaves up to the conflict as I would lash dogs that hung back in the chase."
"On the contrary," said Maccabeus, who had hitherto listened to the conversation in silence, "I shall proclaim that whoso is fearful, has my free permission to depart from us in peace."
"Were that well?" asked Simon, doubtfully, "we are already so greatly outnumbered by the foe11."
"It is according to the law," replied Judas, calmly; "it is what Gideon did before encountering Midian. We can have no man with us who is half-hearted; no one who will count his life dear in the struggle which is before us."
"If we are to fall in the struggle," observed Simon, "half our number will indeed suffice for the sacrifice." He spoke39 without fear, but in the tone of one who felt the full extent of the threatening danger.
"See you yon stone, my brother?" asked Maccabeus, pointing to a pillar on the way to Shen, which was clearly visible against the background of the deep blue sky. "Yonder is Ebenezer, the stone of help, which Samuel set up in remembrance of victory over the Philistines42, when God thundered from heaven, and discomfited43 the foes of Israel."
"Ay, I see it," replied Simon; "and I see the power and faithfulness of the Lord of Hosts written on that stone. We are in His hand, not in that of Nicanor."
"Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered44!" exclaimed Eleazar.
"My brother, give order that the trumpets45 be sounded," said Maccabeus, "and let our proclamation be known through the camp--that all who fear may retire at once, nor remain to shame us by turning their backs in the day of battle."
The commands of the leader were at once obeyed; the proclamation was issued, and its alarming effects were speedily seen. The small force of Maccabeus began to melt like a snow-wreath under the beams of the sun. One man remembered the tears of his newly-wedded bride, another the helpless state of a widowed mother; the hearts of not a few were set on their flocks and herds46, while many of their comrades found in the state of crops needing the sickle47, an excuse to cover the fear which they would have blushed to own as their motive48 for deserting the cause of their country. Long before the evening had closed in, the forces under Maccabeus had been reduced to one-half their number.
"They have judged themselves unworthy to share the glory that awaits their brave brethren," cried the indignant Eleazar, as, leaning on his unstrung bow, he watched a long line of fugitives49 wending their way towards the west.
Undismayed, though perhaps somewhat discouraged by the defection of half his troops, Maccabeus made before sunset a brief address to those who remained. "Arm yourselves," he said, "and be valiant50 men; and see that ye be in readiness before the morning, that ye may fight with these nations that are assembled together to destroy us and our sanctuary51. For it is better for us to die in battle than to behold52 the calamity53 of our people and our sanctuary. Nevertheless, as the will of God is in heaven, so let Him do."
So, with stern resolution to conquer or die, the Hebrews retired54 to their appointed places in the small camp till morning light should arouse them to the desperate conflict.
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1
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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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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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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14
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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17
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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18
hew
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| v.砍；伐；削 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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forefather
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| n.祖先；前辈 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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26
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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bereavement
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| n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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30
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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31
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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bartered
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| v.作物物交换，以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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35
sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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36
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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37
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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40
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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41
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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42
philistines
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| n.市侩，庸人( philistine的名词复数 )；庸夫俗子 | |
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43
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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44
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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45
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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46
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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47
sickle
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| n.镰刀 | |
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48
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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49
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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50
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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51
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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52
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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53
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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54
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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