4 Maccabees 8

1For since in the first trial the notorious tyrant was defeated, being unable to compel the old man to eat defiling food,

2Then, becoming deeply agitated, he ordered that others from among the Hebrews of that age be brought in; and if they would eat meat from the thigh, to release those who were brought in, but if they objected, to torture them more severely.

3When the tyrant had given these orders, seven brothers were brought in with their aged mother, handsome and modest and noble and gracious in every way.

4When the tyrant saw them surrounding their mother in the middle as if in a chorus, he was impressed by them, and astonished at their good bearing and noble birth, he smiled at them; and calling them near, he said,

5Young men, I warmly admire the beauty of each one of you, and, valuing so highly the number of so many brothers, I not only urge you not to go mad with the same madness as the old man who has already been tortured, but also—

6I urge you, by agreeing with me, to enjoy my friendship; for just as I have power to punish those who disobey my commands, so also to do good to those who obey me well.

7So comply, and you will receive ruling offices over my affairs, if you renounce the ancestral ordinance of your way of life.

8and having adopted a Greek way of life,

9And after changing your way of life, enjoy your youth. But if by your disobedience you provoke me to anger, you will force me, through dreadful punishments, to destroy each one of you by tortures.

10Therefore have pity on yourselves, on whom even I, your enemy, have pity because of your age.

11And I pity your beauty. Will you not consider this—that nothing lies before you, if you disobey, except to die amid tortures?

12And as he said these things, he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward, so that even through fear he might persuade them to eat defiled food.

13Then, when the bodyguards set out wheels, joint-rackers, stretching-machines, clawing hooks, catapults, cauldrons, frying pans, thumbscrews, iron hands, wedges, and the live coals of the fire, the tyrant took up the matter and said,

14But the tyrant interrupted and said, “Young men, be afraid, and the justice you revere will be merciful to you if, under compulsion, you break the law.”

15But when they heard the inducements and saw the tortures, they not only were not afraid, but even reasoned philosophically with the tyrant,

16And through their blessed courage they brought down his tyranny. Yet let us consider this: if some among them had been fainthearted and unmanly, what words would they have used? Would it not have been these?

17Alas for us! How miserable and utterly foolish we are! When the king urges us and calls us to receive a benefit, should we not be persuaded by him?

18Why do we delight ourselves in empty schemes and dare a death-bringing disobedience?

19Shall we not fear the tortures, brothers, and reckon with the threats of the torments, and flee this empty glory and deadly arrogance?

20Let us have mercy on our own youth, and let us pity our mother’s old age,

21old age; and let us consider that if we disobey, we will die.

22But divine justice will also pardon us if, under compulsion, we become afraid of the king.

23Why do we remove ourselves from the most pleasant life, and deprive ourselves

24of the sweet world. Let us not force necessity, nor let us boast in our own torture-rack.

25Not even the law itself [compels] us willingly—

26Why has such contentiousness been instilled in us, and why does deadly endurance please us, when it is possible to live in tranquility by obeying the king, after becoming afraid of the tortures that lead to death?

27But the young men, who were about to be tortured, said none of these things, nor did they even think them.

28For they were contemptuous of sufferings, and masters of pains.

29So when the tyrant stopped urging them to eat defiling food, they all together, with one voice, as if from the same soul, said,