Judith — Chapter 2

Anno tertio decimo Nabuchodonosor regis

The Greek text reads \"year 18.\" To reconcile: year 13 of Nebuchadnezzar's reign was year 18 from the start of Arphaxad's reign, his enemy and rival.

Habuit cum eis mysterium consilii

The counsels of kings, especially regarding the subjugation of other kings and nations, are secret and arcane.

Holofernem principem militiae suae

Who was Holofernes? (1) Cedrenus says he was a Persian — his name appears Persian like Tisaphernes, Artaphernes, Intaphernes. If Persian, Nebuchadnezzar chose him to attract Persians made contemptible by their defeat at the hands of the Greeks (hence Jdt 16:12: \"The Persians trembled at his constancy, and the Medes at his daring\"). (2) He was the second-in-command of Nebuchadnezzar's army, as Joseph was second to Pharaoh; Zonaras calls him Archisatrapa; Tertullian (lib. I Contra Marcionem) and Augustine (Appendix, serm. 66) call him \"king\" because of his vast authority and quasi-royal resources. (3) Francis Mayronis claimed he was the son of Ahasuerus and Esther — universally rejected as novel and unheard of. (4) Pagninus derives his name from Greek meaning \"wholly a gift\" (holos = all, pherne = gift), or from Hebrew/Chaldean \"strong leader\" (parnas = prefect/leader). (5) In character, Holofernes matched Nebuchadnezzar in pride, arrogance, luxury, and dissipation, and was thus overcome by Judith.

Egredere adversus omne regnum Occidentis

The Greek gives the king's full command: \"Thus says the great King, Lord of all the earth: Go forth from before me, take men confident in their own strength — 120,000 foot soldiers and 120,000 horsemen — and go out against all the western lands that did not heed my word. Tell them to prepare earth and water, for I will come in my fury and cover the face of the earth with the feet of my army...Reserve them for the day of their reckoning. Against rebels, your eye shall not spare them.\" This alludes to the ancient Persian custom of demanding earth and water as symbols of submission from peoples they wished to conquer, since these are necessary for human life.

Et equitum sagittariorum duodecim

Twelve thousand horsemen archers. The Greek has 120,000, but this appears to be an error in the number — the cipher 0 should be removed to leave 12,000 as in the Latin. Even Darius against Alexander had only 44,000 cavalry. One might reconcile this by supposing that 12,000 were mounted archers, while the remaining 108,000 were horsemen armed with lances, sarissas, and battle-axes, giving 120,000 total.

Venit ad magnos montes Ange

Holofernes came to the great mountains of Ange (Angea), so called because they lie on the left side of Cilicia. From them sprang Philtes of Angea, mentioned by Curtius (lib. III); in Herodotus (lib. VI) they are called the great mountain Rangeus.

Effregit civitatem opinatissimam Melothi

He stormed (expugnated) the most renowned and wealthy city of Melothi — \"Melothi\" in Hebrew means \"fullness\" of riches and men, which this city indeed possessed. He plundered all the sons of Tharsis and Ishmael. Tharsis was a grandson of Japheth (Gen 10), from whom the Mediterranean Sea and Cilicia took their name; any great sea was called \"Tharsis\" (cf. Isa 66).

Mambre

The Greek reads \"Arbonat.\" The torrent Mambre marks the boundary of Holofernes's march through Mesopotamia.

Usque ad fines Japhet

This signifies Joppa, says Serarius, which is still called Japha, and by the Turks Zapha. Pliny (lib. V, cap. 13) says: \"The village of Joppa of the Pharucians predates the Flood.\"

Abduxitque omnes filios Madian

The Greek reads: \"he encircled and surrounded them\" (perikokklos). He carried off all the sons of Madian and plundered all their wealth, slaying all who resisted with the sword.

Et succendit omnia sata

The Greek says: \"He consumed their flocks and herds, sacked their cities, laid waste their fields, and put all their young men to the sword.\"