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Accordingly, the tyrant Antiochus, accompanied by his councillors, sat in judgement on a certain high place with his troops drawn up around him in full armour, and he ordered his guards to drag there every single man of the Hebrews and compel them to eat swine's flesh and things offered to idols; but if any should refuse to defile themselves with the unclean things, they were to he tortured and put to death.

And yet, were our Law, as you suggest, not truly divine, while we vainly believed it to be divine, not even so would it be right for us to destroy our reputation for piety.

And you scoff at our philosophy, as if under it we were living in a manner contrary to reason.

But the great-souled and noble man, an Eleazar in very truth, was no more moved in his mind than if he were being tormented in a dream; yea, the old man keeping his eyes steadfastly raised to heaven suffered his flesh to be tom by the scourges till he was bathed in blood and his sides became a mass of wounds; and even when he fell to the ground because his body could no longer support the pain he still kept his Reason erect and inflexible.

Contrary to Reason, indeed, were it for us, after living unto the truth till old age, and guarding in lawful guise the repute of so living, now to change and become in our own persons a pattern to the young of impiety, to the end that we should encourage them to eat unclean meat.

Shame were it if we should live on a little longer, during that little being mocked of all men for cowardice, and while despised by the tyrant as unmanly should fail to defend the Divine Law unto the death. 13 Therefore, O sons of Abraham, do ye die nobly for righteousness' sake; but as for you, O minions of the tyrant, why pause ye in your work?'

And it is right that we should admit that the mastery lies with Reason, in cases at least where it conquers pains that come from outside ourselves; for it were ridiculous to deny it.

No city besieged with many and cunning engines ever defended itself so well as did that holy man when his sacred soul was attacked with scourge and rack and flame, and he moved them who were laying siege to his soul through his Reason that was the shield of sanctity.

And under these orders of the tyrant seven brethren together with their aged mother were brought prisoners before him, all handsome, and modest, and well-born,--and generally attractive.

And when the tyrant saw them there, standing as if they were a festal choir with their mother in the midst, he took notice of them, and struck by their noble and distinguished bearing he smiled at them, and calling them nearer said:

For they were despisers of the passions and masters over pain.

But when they had scourged him till they were weary, and gained nothing thereby, they cast him upon the wheel.

And on it the noble youth was racked till his bones were out of joint. And as joint after joint gave way, he denounced the tyrant in these words:

And all the wheel was besmeared with his blood, and the heaped coals were quenched by the humours of his body dropping down, and the rent flesh ran round the axles of the machine.

And with his bodily frame already in dissolution this great-souled youth, like a true son of Abraham, groaned not at all; but as if he were suffering a change by fire to incorruption, he nobly endured the torment, saying:

But while all were wondering at his constancy of soul, the guards brought forward the second in age of the. sons, and grappling him with sharp-clawed hands of iron they fastened him to the engines and the catapult.

But they were greatly angered at the bold speech of the man, and they dislocated his hands and his feet with their dislocating engines, and wrenched his limbs out of their sockets, and unstrung them; and they twisted round his fingers, and his arms, and his legs, and his elbow-joints.

'I am not so old in years as my brethren, but I am as old in mind. For we were born and reared for the same purpose and are equally bound also to die for the same cause; so if thou chooseth to torture us for not eating unclean meat, torture.'

And to each separate one of the brothers, as they were dragged off, those whose turn was yet to come said, 'Do not disgrace us, brother, nor be false to our brethren already dead.'

But though nature, companionship, and their virtuous disposition increased the ardour of their brotherly love, nevertheless the surviving sons through their religion supported the sight of their brethren, who were on the rack, being tortured to death; nay more, they even encouraged them to face the agony, so as not only to despise their own tortures, but also to conquer their passion of brotherly affection for their brethren. 34 O Reasoning minds, more kingly than kings, than freemen more free, of the harmony of the seven brethren, holy and well attuned to the keynote of piety!

For they were just, and temperate, and brave and great-souled, and lovers of each other and of their mother in such manner that they obeyed her in the keeping of the Law even unto death.

How many and how great were the tortures with which the mother was tormented while her sons were being tortured with torments of rack and fire!

How many and how great were the tortures with which the mother was tormented while her sons were being tortured with torments of rack and fire!

And not so fierce were the lions around Daniel, not so hot was the burning fiery furnace of Mishael, as burned in her the instinct of motherhood at the sight of her seven sons being tortured.

But by her religion-guided Reason the mother quenched her passions, many and strong as they were.

Alas, for my sons, that some were yet unwed, and those that were wedded had begotten no children; I shall never see children of yours, nor shall I be called by the name of grandparent.

Alas, for my sons, that some were yet unwed, and those that were wedded had begotten no children; I shall never see children of yours, nor shall I be called by the name of grandparent.

But the holy and God-fearing mother wailed not with this lamentation over any one of them, neither besought she any to escape death, nor lamented over them as dying men; but, as though she had a soul of adamant and were bringing forth the number of her sons, for a second time, into immortal life, she besought rather and entreated of them that they should die for religion's sake.

And Daniel, the just man, was cast to the lions, and Ananias, Azarias, and Mishael were flung into the furnace of fire, and they endured for God's sake.

And ye also, having the same faith unto God, be not troubled; for it were against Reason that ye, knowing righteousness, should not withstand the pains.'

And indeed it were fitting to inscribe these words over their resting-place, speaking for a memorial to future generations of our people:

The tyrant was their adversary and the world and the life of man were the spectators.

Who were not amazed at them? The tyrant himself and his whole council admired their endurance, whereby they now do both Stand beside the throne of God and live the blessed age.

And these men, therefore, having sanctified themselves for God's sake, not only have received this honour, but also the honour that through them the enemy had no more power over our people, and the tyrant suffered punishment, and our country was purified, they having as it were become a ransom for our nation's sin; and through the blood of these righteous men and the propitiation of their death, the divine Providence delivered Israel that before was evil entreated.

O Israelites, children born of the seed of Abraham, obey this Law, and be righteous in all ways, recognizing that Inspired Reason is lord over the passions, and over pains, not only from within, but from without ourselves; by which means those men, delivering up their bodies to the torture for righteousness' sake, not only won the admiration of mankind, but were deemed worthy of a divine inheritance.

No seducer of the desert, no deceiver in the field, corrupted me; nor did the false, beguiling Serpent sully the purity of my maidenhood; I lived with my husband all the days of my youth; but when these my sons were grown up, their father died.

And the restrainers of the children of men were not able to restrain it, nor the arts of those whose business it is to restrain waters;

For it spread over the face of the whole earth, and filled everything: and all the thirsty upon earth were given to drink of it;

And souls that were near departing they have caught back from death:

Rise up, and stand erect, ye who sometime were brought low:

Tell forth ye who were in silence, that your mouth hath been opened.

Ye, therefore, that were despised, be henceforth lifted up, because your righteousness hath been exalted.

And the Gentiles were gathered together who were scattered abroad.

And the Gentiles were gathered together who were scattered abroad.

And I was unpolluted by my love for them, because they confessed me in high places: and the traces of the light were set upon their heart:

And they walked in my life and were saved and became my people for ever and ever. Hallelujah.

And they have turned back the bitterness of the trees from them, when they were planted in thy, land;

And by it the worlds talk one to the other; and in the Word there were those that were silent;

And by it the worlds talk one to the other; and in the Word there were those that were silent;

And from it came love and concord; and they spake one to the other whatever was theirs; and they were penetrated by the Word;

And they knew Him who made them, because they were in concord; for the mouth of the Most High spake to them; and His explanation ran by means of it:

And the worlds were made by His word, and by the thought of His heart. Glory and honour to His name. Hallelujah.

The choking bonds were cut off by her hands: I received the face and the fashion of a new person: and I walked in it and was saved;

And all that have seen me were amazed: and I was regarded by them as a strange person:

And from thence He gave me the way of His precepts and I opened the doors that were closed,

And they were gathered to me and were saved; because they were to me as my own members and I was their head. Glory to thee our head, the Lord Messiah. Hallelujah.

And they were gathered to me and were saved; because they were to me as my own members and I was their head. Glory to thee our head, the Lord Messiah. Hallelujah.

And they were gathered to me and were saved; because they were to me as my own members and I was their head. Glory to thee our head, the Lord Messiah. Hallelujah.

My members were strengthened that they might not fall from His strength.

And they have not been corrupt in their imagination; for such were in the mind of the Lord;

And they mocked at them that were walking in error;

And the Holy Spirit milked Him: because His breasts were full, and it was necessary for Him that His milk should be sufficiently released;

And because she was not sufficiently prepared, and she had not sought a midwife (for He brought her to bear) she brought forth, as if she were a man, of her own will;

They were motionless, and thou didst give them energy for life.

And it escaped their fingers and they were affrighted at it and at the seal that was upon it.

The letter was one of command, for there were included in it all districts;

And all the apostates hasted and fled away. And those who persecuted and were enraged became extinct.

And the inhabitants were afraid and the sojourners were moved:

And the inhabitants were afraid and the sojourners were moved:

The birds dropped their wings and all creeping things died in their holes: and the abysses were opened which had been hidden; and they cried to the Lord like women in travail:

For they were corrupt from the beginning; and the end of their corruption was life:

For they who in their hearts were lifted up were deficient in wisdom, and so they were rejected, because the truth was not with them.

For they who in their hearts were lifted up were deficient in wisdom, and so they were rejected, because the truth was not with them.

For they who in their hearts were lifted up were deficient in wisdom, and so they were rejected, because the truth was not with them.

And I became mighty in: the truth, and holy by thy righteousness; and all my adversaries were afraid of me;

The abysses were dissolved before the Lord: and darkness was destroyed by His appearance:

And He lifted up His voice to the Most High, and offered to Him the sons that were with Him.

And drew to Him all those who obeyed Him; and there did not appear as it were an evil person.

It was to me for salvation: everything was shaken and they were affrighted;

And my heart poured out as it were a gushing stream of righteousness,

And my foundations were laid on the hand of the Lord: because He established me.

And the waves were lifted up on this side and on that, but the footsteps of our Lord Messiah stand firm and are not obliterated and are not defaced.

And the feet and the head he let go, for they were not able to endure my face:

'Have you seen all that this people are doing to Me, that the evils which these two tribes which remained have done are greater than (those of) the ten tribes which were carried away captive?

For the former tribes were forced by their kings to commit sin, but these two of themselves have been forcing and compelling their kings to commit sin.

For assuredly in its own season shall the (divine) wrath awake against you. Which now in long-suffering is held in as it were by reins.

Then therefore were they chastened That they might be sanctified. OXYRHYNCHUS GREEK FRAGMENT Recto

For what did it profit Adam that he lived nine hundred and thirty years and transgressed that which he was commanded? Therefore the multitude of time that he lived did not profit him, but brought death and cut off the years of those who were born from him. wherein did Moses suffer loss in that he lived only one hundred and twenty years, and, inasmuch he was subject to Him who formed him, brought the law to the seed of Jacob, and lighted a lamp for the nation of Israel?'

And again hearken: though each one were prospered all that time-all the time from the day on which death was decreed against those who transgress-and in his end was destroyed, in vain would have been everything.

For if there were this life only, which belongs to all men, nothing could be more bitter than this.

For what we were formerly now we no longer are and what we now are we shall not afterwards remain.

And it came to pass after these things that lo! the heavens were opened, and I saw, and power was given to me, and a voice was beard from on high, and it said unto me:

And now if you also forsake us, it were good for us all to die before you, and then that you should withdraw from us.'

'O that mine eyes were springs, And mine eyelids a fount of tears.

Now that fountain came to the forest and was (stirred) into great waves, and those waves submerged that forest, and suddenly they rooted out the greater part of that forest, and overthrew all the mountains which were round about it.

And you kept conquering that which was not yours, and to that which was your you did never show compassion, and you did keep extending your power over those who were far from you, and those who drew near you, you did hold fast in the toils of your wickedness, and you did uplift thyself always as one that could not be rooted out!

And after these things a fourth kingdom will arise, whose power will be harsh and evil far beyond those which were before it, and it will rule many times as the forests on the plain, and it will hold fast for times, and will exalt itself more than the cedars of Lebanon.

As for those who were before subject, and afterwards withdrew and mingled themselves with the seed of mingled peoples, the time of these was the former, and was accounted as something exalted.

And it shall come to pass, when they have severally recognized those whom they now know, then judgment shall grow strong, and those things which before were spoken of shall come.

For the first shall receive the last, those whom they were expecting, and the last those of whom they used to hear that they had passed away.