Open English Translation 4 MAC Chapter 8

8 then, indeed, vehemently swayed with emotion, he commanded to bring others of the adult Ivrim (Hebrews), and if they’d eat of the unclean thing, to let them go when they’d eaten; but if they objected, to torment them more grievously. 2 The tyrant having given this charge, seven kindred were brought into his presence, along with their aged mother. They were handsome, modest, well-born, and altogether comely. 3 When the tyrant saw them encircling their mother as in a dance, he was pleased with them. Being struck with their becoming and innocent manner, smiled at them, and calling them near, said, 4 “O youths, with favourable feelings, I admire the beauty of each of you. Greatly honouring so numerous a band of kindred, I not only counsel you not to share the madness of the old man who’s been tortured before, 5 but I beg you to yield, and to enjoy my friendship; for I possess the power, not only of punishing those who disobey my commands, but of doing good to those who obey them. 6 Put confidence in me, then, and you’ll receive places of authority in my government, if you forsake your national way of life, 7 and, conforming to the Greek way of life, alter your rule and revel in youth’s delights. 8 Because if you provoke me by your disobedience, you’ll compel me to destroy every one of you with terrible punishments by tortures. 9 Have mercy, then, on your own selves, whom I, although an enemy, am compassionate for your age and attractive appearance. 10 won’t you consider this: that if you disobey, there’ll be nothing left for you but to die in torture?”

11 When he’d said this, he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward, that fear might prevail on them to eat unclean meat. 12 When the spearman brought forward the wheels, the racks, the hooks, racks, cauldrons, pans, finger-racks, iron hands and wedges, and bellows, the tyrant continued: 13 “Fear, young men, and the righteousness which you worship will be merciful to you if you transgress because of compulsion.”

14 Now they having listened to these words of persuasion, and seeing the fearful instruments, not only weren’t afraid, but even answered the arguments of the tyrant, and through their good reasoning destroyed his power. 15 Now let’s consider the matter. Had any of them been weak-spirited and cowardly among them, what reasoning would they’ve employed but these? 16 “O wretched that we are, and extremely senseless! When the king exhorts us, and calls us to his bounty, shouldn’t we obey him? 17 Why do we cheer ourselves with vain counsels, and venture on a disobedience bringing death? 18 Shouldn’t we fear, Oh kindred, the instruments of torture and weigh the threatenings of torment and shun this vain-glory and destructive pride? 19 Let’s have compassion on our age and relent over the years of our mother. 20 Let’s bear in mind that we’ll be dying as rebels. 21 Divine Justice will pardon us if we fear the king through necessity. 22 Why withdraw ourselves from a most sweet life, and deprive ourselves of this pleasant world? 23 Let’s not oppose necessity, nor seek vain-glory by our own torture. 24 The law itself wouldn’t arbitrarily put us to death because we dread torture. 25 Why has such angry zeal taken root in us, and such fatal obstinacy approved itself to us, when we might live unmolested by the king?”

26 But the young men didn’t say or think anything of this kind when about to be tortured. 27 Because they were well aware of the sufferings, and masters of the pains.28-29 So that as soon as the tyrant had ceased counselling them to eat the unclean, they all with one voice, as from the same heart said,