| So the Kings and the princes of all the cities and lands sent their ambassadors: namely they of Syria and Mesopotamia, Syria Sobal, and Libia, and Celicia, which came to Holofernes, and said: Let thy wrath cease toward us: It is better for us to serve the great King Nabuchodonosor with our lives, and to be subject unto thee, then that we should die, and be slain, and receive greater hurt. All our cities and possessions, all mountains and hills, all fields, great and small cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and camels, all our goods and households, be in thy power, under thy subjection be it all together. We ourselves also and our children will be thine own, come unto us a peaceable Lord, and use our service at thy pleasure.
Then came Holofernes down from the mountains with horsemen and with great power, and conquered all strong cities, and all that dwelt in the land. And out of all cities he took strong men, such as were *mete for war, to help him. There came such a fear also upon those countries, that the indwellers of all the cities, the Princes and Rulers, and the people together, went forth to meet him as he came, and received him honorably with garlands and torches, with *daunces, tabrettes and pipes.
Nevertheless though they did this, yet might they not *swage his rigorous stomach: but he destroyed their cities, and hewed down their woods. For Nabuchodonosor the king had commanded him, that he should root out all the Gods of the land: to the intent that he only might be called and taken for God, of the nations which Holofernes with his power brought under him. So went he through Syria Sobal, and through all Appamia, and all Mesopotamia, came to the Idumeans, in the land of Gabaa, and Septopoly, and took their cities, and remained there thirty days, wherein he caused all the whole multitude of his Host to be gathered together. |
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