CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
THE
FOURTH BOOK
OF MACCABEES:
CONTAINING
REFLECTIONS ON RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE: LIKEWISE, AN ACCOUNT OF HELIODORUS’ ATTEMPT TO PLUNDER THE TEMPLE: AND THE HISTORY OF ELEAZAR AND THE SEVEN BRETHREN PERSECUTED EVEN TO DEATH FOR THEIR ADHERENCE TO RELIGION.
CHAPTER VI
B.C. 167
Eleazar’s sufferings ; and death. Reflections on it.
When Eleazar had in this manner eloquently answereda the tyrant’s exhortations, the guards surrounded him and drew him with violence to the instruments of torture. And first of all, the stripped b the old man, arrayed as he was in the becoming garb of piety. Then, having bound his arms to each side of his body, they disfigured him with scourges: a herald on each side crying out aloud, ” Obey the commands of the king.” But Eleazar, truly noble and high-minded, regarded it not in the least, as though he were tortured only in a dream. But lifting his eyes on high to heaven, the old man was stripped of his flesh by the whips, and streamed down with blood, and his flanks were laid open by wounds. And though he fell to the ground, because his body could not support the pains, he still retained his strength of principle upright and unbending. Then one of the savage guards leaping upon his belly kicked c it, to make him rise after he had fallen. But he supported the pain, and regarded not the violence, and patiently endured the ill usage. And, like a fine spirited champion d at the Grecian games, the old man enduring stripes conquered his tormentors. And though his face was wet with perspiration, and he sorely gasped for breath; yet he was admired, even by those who tortured him, for his hardihood.
Wherefore, partly in pity for his age; partly feeling sympathy for their former acquaintance with him, and partly in admiration of his constancy; some of the king’s attendants came up to him and said: Why, Eleazar, will you destroy e yourself by all these evils? we will bring you
some dressed meat f, and do you save yourself by pretending to have tasted some of the swine’s flesh.
But Eleazar, as if tortured g still more cruelly by this advice, cried out: ” Let not us, who are children of Abraham, be so foolish as through weakness of mind to play a part which is dis creditable to us. Absurd indeed it would be, if having lived to old age in conformity with the truth, and preserving a good character agreeably to the law h, we now should change our course: and ourselves should become a pattern of impiety to the young, by being an example of eating unclean meats. It would be disgraceful, if we should still live on for some short time; and this, being derided by all men for our cowardice. While by the tyrant we shall be despised as spiritless and shall not have defended our divine law unto the death. Wherefore, do you, O ye children of Abraham, die nobly in defence of your religion. But you, ye guards of the tyrant, why do you make delay i ?” When they beheld him thus high-spirited in
the midst of his troubles; and that he did not change at all through their compassion of him, they carried him to the fire. Then with their horrid instruments they threw him on the pile of fire to bum him and poured stinking liquids into his nostrils. But he, being now completely burnt to the bones, and about to expire, lifted his eyes to God, and said: “Thou knowest, O God, that whereas I might have saved myself, I am dying by fiery torments for the law’s sake. Therefore, be merciful to thy people, being satisfied with the punishment suffered by me for them. Make my blood k a purification for them and accept my life an offering instead of theirs.” And having uttered these words, the holy man died nobly in his torments; and, even to the tortures of death, stood fast in his principle for the sake of the law.
Confessedly therefore religious Principle is lord over the passions. For if the passions had overpowered principle, I would have given to them the testimony of such mastery. But now, since principle has overcome the passions, to it we give, as is becoming, the rank and power of sovereignty. And it is just that we should own that the mastery belongs to principle, since it prevails over pains inflicted from without’. Nay, to say otherwise would be ridiculous: and I demonstrate, that Principle not only conquers pains, but likewise that it is master over pleasures, and does not give way to these.
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