Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/87

 Many saints  were  (there)  under  Moses'  law,

but we  hold  not  their  commemoration  on  any  mass-day,

except of  these  brethren,  that  so  boldly  suffered.

II. We will  also  write  how  that  contest  ended,

and how  the  Almighty  God  put  to  flight  the  impious  ones

with mickle  shame,  even  as  the  narrative  tells  us.

A certain  high  servant  of  God  was  named  Mattathias,

who had  five  sons,  full  bold  ones,  with  him.

One was  named  John;    a  second  Simon,

a third — Judas;    a  fourth — Eleazar,

a fifth — Jonathan,  within  Jerusalem,

who bemoaned  sorely  with  vehement  mourning

that they  saw  such  distress  in  their  life,

and would  not  submit  to  the  reproachful  heathendom.

Then sent  the  king  to  the  aforesaid  thane,

and bade  them  all  bow  down  to  his  blind  gods,

and offer  to  them  sacrifice,  and  abandon  God's  law.

But Mattathias  would  not  hear  the  wicked  one,

nor transgress  God's  law  for  his  wrathful  threat.

Therewith there  came  in  sight  of  them  all

a Jewish  man  to  the  devil-image,

and offered  his  offering,  as  Antiochus  commanded.

However, Mattathias  was  enraged  in  his  mood,

and rushed  at  the  man  who  would  there  offer,

and slew  him  soon,  and  afterwards  the  other,

the king's  thane,  who  had  urged  him  thereto,

and cast  down  the  devil-image,  and  departed  from  it.

He cried  then  loudly — '  each  one  who  hath  belief

and heedeth  God's  law,  let  him  come  to  me.'