Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/117



IX. It was  afterwards  told  the  king  Demetrius,

that Nicanor  fell,  and  all  his  folk  with  him.

Then would  he  yet  send  and  slay  the  Jews,

and found  then  Bacchides,  who  was  filled  with  wickedness,

and Aleimus  with  him,  the  impious  priest,

and sent  them  with  a  troop  to  the  Jewish  folk.

They came  then  suddenly  with  battle  against  Judas,

and his  companions  were  slothful,  except  eight  hundred  men,

that fought  with  him  against  the  hostile  host.

Then quoth  his  companions  that  they  would  flee,

because their  company  was  diminished  with  the  flight  (of  the  rest),

and would  save  themselves  against  the  furious  army.

Then answered  Judas,  as  he  was  wholly  bold,

'Let it  never  happen  in  our  lives,  that  we. lay aside  our  glory

with slothful  flight,  but  let  us  fight  against  them;

and if  God  so  foreordains,  we  shall  die  in  our  might

for our  brethren,  without  shameful  flight.'

They came  then  together,  and  began  to  fight

in two  troops,  throughout  the  whole  day,

and Judas  then  looked  to  the  right  side,

that they  were  the  stronger,  and  advanced  thither  soon

with the  most  hardy  men,  that  fought  with  him,

and chased  that  end  (of  the  army),  but  after  him  went

the other  troop,  with  battle,  behind  (him);

and there  fell  then  on  both  sides  many  in  the  battle,

and Judas  fell  also,  and  the  rest  fled  away.

Then his  brothers  brought  his  body  out  of  the  carnage,

and buried  it  in  Modin,  beside  Mattathias  his  father,

and all  the  people  mourned  him,  in  the  ancient  manner.