1 Maccabees — Chapter 8

Et audivit Judas nomen Romanorum

VERSE 1. ET AUDIVIT JUDAS NOMEN ROMANORUM QUIA SUNT POTENTES VIRIBUS ET ACQUIESCUNT AD OMNIA QUAE POSTULANTUR AB EIS. — Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were very strong and were well-disposed toward all who made alliance with them, and that they pledged friendship to those who came to them. Lapide provides an extensive historical excursus on the Romans, explaining the accuracy of the report Judas received about Roman power and policy. He defends the historical reliability of 1 Maccabees against critics (Novantes) who claimed it exaggerated Roman power, arguing that all the claims can be verified from Livy, Florus, Diodorus, and Plutarch.

Et audierunt praelia eorum et virtutes bonas

VERSE 2. ET AUDIERUNT PRAELIA EORUM ET VIRTUTES BONAS QUAS FECERUNT IN GALATIA. — They heard of their battles and the good deeds that they did in Galatia, how they conquered it and forced it to pay tribute. Lapide explains the reference to Galatia (also called Galatia or Gallo-Graecia): the Romans had subdued the Galatians under Manlius Vulso after they had supported Antiochus the Great against Rome. He draws on Livy (Book 37) for this.

Et quanta fecerunt in regione Hispani

VERSE 3. ET QUANTA FECERUNT IN REGIONE HISPANI ET QUOD IN POTESTATEM REDEGERUNT METALLA ARGENTI ET AURI QUAE ILLIC SUNT. — What they had done in the land of Spain, and how they had gained control of the silver and gold mines there, and how through their policy and persistence they had conquered the whole region. Lapide discusses Roman Spain (Hispania) as an example of Roman \"patientia\" (long-suffering persistence): they conquered Spain not in one campaign but through 239 years of continuous but progressive warfare. He quotes this as a moral lesson: patience and perseverance overcome even the most stubborn resistance.

Et Philippum et Persem Ceteorum regem

VERSE 5. ET PHILIPPUM ET PERSEM CETEORUM REGEM ET CETEROS QUI ARMA TULERANT ADVERSUS EOS CONTRIVERUNT. — They had also crushed Philip, and Perseus king of the Macedonians (i.e., of Cethim), and the others who rose against them, and had conquered them. Lapide identifies Perseus as the last king of Macedonia, defeated by L. Aemilius Paulus at Pydna in 168 BC (Seleucid year 585 of the foundation of Rome), and subsequently led in triumph to Rome. This event had occurred within living memory of the Maccabees.

Et Antiochum Magnum regem Asiae

VERSE 6. ET ANTIOCHUM MAGNUM REGEM ASIAE QUI EIS PUGNAM INTULERAT HABENS CENTUM VIGINTI ELEPHANTOS. — And they had crushed Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who went to fight against them with 120 elephants, cavalry, chariots, and a very large army. Lapide explains: Antiochus III the Great (father of Epiphanes) was defeated by Scipio Asiaticus at the Battle of Magnesia (190 BC), despite his enormous army including 120 war elephants. Lapide quotes Livy (Book 37): \"50,000 infantry were said to have fallen that day, 4,000 cavalry, 1,400 captured, and 15 elephants with their riders.\" The contrast with little Judea makes the whole passage a meditation on the vanity of military power.

Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema

VERSE 14. ET IN OMNIBUS ISTIS NEMO PORTABAT DIADEMA NEC INDUEBATUR PURPURA UT MAGNIFICARETUR IN EA. — Yet with all this, not one of them has put on a crown or worn purple as a mark of pride, but they have built for themselves a senate chamber, and every day three hundred and twenty senators constantly deliberate concerning the people, to govern them well. Lapide provides an extended commentary on the Roman senatorial system. He explains the growth of the Senate from Romulus's original 100, to Tarquinius's 300-320, to Gracchus's 600, eventually to 900 and 1000 under Julius Caesar. He sees in the Roman Republic a model of good governance, though noting that internal ambition eventually destroyed it (quoting Cato in Sallust's Bellum Catilinae).

Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis

VERSE 17. ET ELEGIT JUDAS EUPOLEMUM FILIUM JOANNIS FILII JACOB ET JASONEM FILIUM ELEAZARI ET MISIT EOS ROMAM. — Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance with them. Lapide discusses this embassy at length: it was a brilliant diplomatic move by Judas, using Roman power as a counterweight to Seleucid pressure. He defends the legitimacy of making alliances with pagan powers, citing Abraham's alliance with the Amorites (Genesis 14), David's treaty with Toi of Hamath (2 Samuel 8), and Josaphat's alliance with Ahab (2 Chronicles 18, where it was actually condemned — but Lapide argues that the Maccabean alliance was legitimate because it involved no religious compromise).