Holofernes

Japanese: Holofernes

…Judith means “Jewess” and is thought to be a legendary figure of strong symbolic character. This beautiful widow, splendidly dressed and accompanied by a maid, visits the enemy camp to save the town of Bethulia, which is under siege from the Assyrian army led by Holofernes, commander-in-chief of King Nebuchadnezzar. On the fourth day, after a feast in which Holofernes had attempted to seduce her, she cuts off his head with a sword while he is drunk. …

From the Book of Judith

...The story is a fictional war tale. Holofernes, a general of the Assyrian king Nebuchadnezzar, besieged the Jewish town of Bethulia (a fictional town?) during his western expedition. Just before the town fell, a devout widow named Judith stood up among the confused citizens, went to the enemy camp, and used her beauty to deceive Holofernes, got him drunk, and beheaded him, defeating the Assyrian army and saving the town and her homeland.

*Some of the terminology that mentions "Holofernes" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

Japanese:

…ユディトとは〈ユダヤの女〉の意味で，象徴的性格の濃い伝説上の人物と思われる。この美しい寡婦はネブカドネザル王の総大将ホロフェルネスHolofernesの率いるアッシリア軍に包囲された町ベトゥリアを救うため，きらびやかに身を飾り，召使い女一人を伴って敵陣を訪れる。4日目に，ホロフェルネスが彼女を誘惑しようとして開いた祝宴の後，酔いつぶれた彼の首を剣で切り落とす。…

【ユディト書】より

…内容は架空の戦記物語。アッシリア王ネブカドネザルの将軍ホロフェルネスHolofernesは，西方遠征中にユダヤ人の町ベトゥリア(架空の町？)を包囲した。陥落寸前，動揺する市民たちの中で，信仰深い寡婦ユディトが敢然と立ち上がり，敵陣へ赴き，美貌を利用してホロフェルネスを欺き，泥酔させて首をはね，アッシリア軍を敗退させ，町と祖国を救う。…

※「Holofernes」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について | 情報

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