Heliodorus

At that time we repeat Pygmalion, of whom a traitor, thief, and parricide made his insatiable desire of gold, and the misery of avaricious Midas that followed his inordinate demand, at which forevermore one needs but laugh, and foolish Achan each one then records in how he stole the spoils, so that the wrath of Joshua still appears to sting him here.

Then we accuse Sapphira with her husband, we laud the hoofbeats Heliodorus had, and the whole mountain infamy encircles.

Polymnestor, who murdered Polydorus, here finally is cried, O Crassus, tell us, for thou dost know, what is the taste of gold? Sometimes we speak one loud, another low, sometimes the desire of speech that spurs us to greater now and now to lesser pace.

But in the good that hereby day is talked of, erewhile alone I was not, yet nearby no other person lifted up his voice.

Even as it is no ease unto him that prepareth a banquet and seeketh the benefit of others, yet for the pleasure of many we will undertake gladly this great pains.

leaving to the author the exact handling of every particular and labouring to follow the rules of an embridgement for as the master builder of a new house must care for the whole building but he that undertaketh to set it out and paint it must seek out fit things for the adorning thereof even so i think it is with us to stand upon every point and go over things at large and to be curious in particulars belongeth to the first author of the story but to use brevity and to avoid much laboring of the work is to be granted to him that will make an abridgment here then we will begin the story only adding thus much to that which hath been said that it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue and to be short in the story itself chapter three now when the holy city was inhabited with all peace and the laws were kept very well because of the godliness of oneus the high priest in his hatred of wickedness it came to pass that even the kings themselves did honor the place and magnify the temple with their best gifts insomuch that seleucus of asia of his own revenues bare all the cost belonging to the service of the sacrifices but one simon of the tribe of benjamin who was made governor of the temple fell out with the high priest about disorder in the city and when he could not overcome unias he gat him over to apollinos the son of thrases who was then governor of silo-syria and phenice and told him that the treasury in jerusalem was full of infinite sums of money so that the multitude of their riches which did not pertain to the account of the sacrifices was innumerable and that it was possible to bring all into the king's hand now when apollinus became king and showed him of the money whereof he was told the king chose out heliodorus his treasurer and sent him with a commandment to bring him the foresaid money so forthwith heliodorus took his journey under a color of visiting the cities of coeloceria and but indeed to fulfil the king's purpose and when he was come to jerusalem and had been courteously received of the high priest of the city he told him what intelligence was given of the money and declared wherefore he came and asked if these things were so indeed then the high priest told him that there was such money laid up for the relief of widows and fatherless children and that some of it belonged to hyrcanus son of tobias a man of great dignity and not as that wicked simon had misinformed the sum whereof in all was four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold and that it was altogether impossible that such wrongs could be done unto them that had committed it to the holiness of the place and to the majesty and the inviolable sanctity of the temple honored over all the world but heliodorus because of the king's commandment given him said that in any wise it must be brought into the king's treasury so that the day which he appointed he entered in to order this matter wherefore there was no small agony throughout the whole city but the priests prostrating themselves before the altar and their priest vestments called unto heaven upon him and made a law concerning the things to be given that they should safely be preserved for such as had committed them to be kept when whoso had looked to the high priest in the face it would have wounded his heart for his countenance and changing of his color declared the inward agony of his mind for the man was so compassed with fear and horror of the body that it was manifest to them that looked upon him what sorrow he now had in his heart others ran flocking out of their houses to the general supplication because the place was like to come into contempt and the women girt with sackcloth under their breasts abounded in the streets and the virgins that were kept in ran some to the gates and some to the walls and others looked out of the windows and all holding their hands toward heaven made supplication then it would have pitied a man to see the falling down of the multitude of all sorts and the fear of the high priest being in such agony they then called upon the almighty lord to keep the things committed of trust safe and sure for those that had committed them nevertheless heliodorus executed that which was decreed now as he was there present himself with his guard about the treasury the lord of spirits and the prince of all power caused a great apparition so that all that presumed to come in with him were astonished at the power of god and fainted and were sore afraid for there appeared unto them an horse with a terrible rider upon him and adorned with a very fair covering and he ran fiercely and smote at heliodorus with his fore feet and it seemed that he that sat upon the horse had a complete harness of gold moreover two other young men appeared before him notable in strength excellent in beauty and comely in apparel who stood by him on either side and scourged him continually and gave him many sore stripes and heliodorus fell suddenly on to the ground and was compassed with great darkness but they that were with him took him up and put him into a litter thus him that lately came with a great train and with all his guard into the said treasury they carried out being unable to help himself with his weapons and manifestly they acknowledged the power of god for he that by the hand of god was cast down and lay speechless without all hope of life but they praised the lord that had miraculously honored his own place for the temple which a little afore was full of fear and trouble when the mighty lord appeared was filled with joy and gladness then straightway certain of heliodorus friends prayed aeneas that he would call upon the most high to grant him his life who lay ready to give up the ghost so the high priest suspecting lest the king should misconceive that some treachery had been done to heliodorus by the jews offered a sacrifice for the health of the man now as the high priest was making an atonement the same young men in the same clothing appeared and stood beside heliodorus saying give onias the high priest great thanks insomuch as for his sake the lord hath granted thee life and seeing that thou hast been scourged from heaven declare unto all men the mighty power of god and when they had spoken these words they appeared no more so heliodorus after he had offered sacrifice unto the lord and made great vows unto him that had saved his life and saluted aeneas returning with his host to the king then testified he to all men the works of the great god which he had seen with his eyes And when the king Heliodorus, who might be a fit man to be sent yet once again to Jerusalem, he said, If thou hast any enemy or traitor, send him thither, and thou shalt receive him well scourged.

If he escape with his life, for in that place, no doubt, there is an especial power of God.

For he that dwelleth in heaven hath his eye on that place, and defendeth it, and he beateth and destroyeth them that come to hurt it.

At that time we repeat Pygmalion, of whom a traitor, thief, and parricide made his insatiable desire of gold, and the misery of avaricious Midas that followed his inordinate demand, at which forevermore one needs but laugh, and foolish Achan each one then records, and how he stole the spoils, so that the wrath of Joshua still appears to sting him here.

Then we accuse Sapphira with her husband, we laud the hoofbeats Heliodorus had, and the whole mountain infamy encircles.

Polymnestor, who murdered Polydorus, here finally is cried, O Crassus, tell us, for thou dost know, what is the taste of gold.

Sometimes we speak one loud, another low, sometimes the desire of speech that spurs us to greater now and now to lesser pace.

Of the first book, he observes, it was probably written by a contemporary author who had witnessed in part the scenes which he so minutely and graphically describes.

And of the second book, which contains the account of Heliodorus and the martyrdom of the seven brethren, this writer remarks, the fathers in general cite the book as a useful history, but not as of authority and points of doctrine.

After the time of Nehemiah, Judea ceased to form a distinct government and was joined to the satrapy of Syria.

Its internal government was, however, in the hands of its own high priests, and the civil power thus annexed to this office made it an object of great ambition, and unhappily gave rise to disgraceful contests.

Simon, a Benjaminite, having been appointed governor of the temple, some disputes arose between him and Ananias, who was high priest at the time.

Finding that he was unable to prevail against him whom the Jews regarded as their lawful chief, Simon fled to Apollonius, the governor of Coles, Syria and Palestine, under King Seleucus, and informed him that treasures were laid up in the temple at Jerusalem.

This account, as was probably intended, excited the cupidity of the king, and Heliodorus, his treasurer, was dispatched to seize upon the coveted wealth.

Heliodorus arrived at Jerusalem and was courteously received by Onias.

Here in some bearers who are carrying Pope Julius, a most lifelike figure, in his chair, are portraits of men who were living at that time.

And while the people, some women among them, are making way for the Pope so that he may pass, one sees the furious onset of an armed man on horseback, who, accompanied by two on foot and in an attitude of the greatest fierceness, is smiting and riding down the proud Heliodorus, who is seeking at the command of Antiochus to rob the temple of all the wealth stored for the widows and orphans.

Already the riches and treasures could be seen being removed and taken away, when, on account of the terror of the strange misfortune of Heliodorus, so rudely struck down and smitten by the three figures mentioned above, although this being a vision, they are seen and heard by him alone, behold, they are all dropped and upset on the ground, those who were carrying them falling down through the sudden terror and panic that had come upon all the followers of Heliodorus.

Apart from these may be seen the holy Onias, the high priest, dressed in the robes of office, with his eyes and hands raised to heaven, and praying most fervently, being seized with pity for the poor innocents who were thus nearly losing their possessions, and rejoicing at the help that he feels has come down from on high.

Besides this, through a beautiful fancy of Raffaello's, one sees many who have climbed onto the socles of the column bases, and clasping the shafts, stand looking in most uncomfortable attitudes, with a throng of people showing their amazement in many various ways and awaiting the result of this event.

This work is in every part so stupendous that even the cartoons are held in the greatest veneration, wherefore Messer Francesco Mazzini, a gentleman of Cesena, who without the help of any master, but giving his attention by himself from his earliest childhood Guided by an extraordinary instinctive nature to drawing and painting, has painted pictures that have been much extolled by good judges of art.

Possesses among his many drawings and some ancient reliefs in marble certain pieces of the cartoon which Raffaello made for this story of Heliodorus, and he holds them in the estimation that they truly deserve.

Nor will I refrain from saying that Messer Niccolo Mazzini, who has given me information about these matters, is as much a true lover of our arts as he is a man of real culture in all other things.