1 As I’m going to demonstrate a most philosophical proposition, namely, that religious reasoning is absolute master of the emotions. I’d willingly advise you to give the utmost heed to philosophy. 2 Because reason is necessary to everyone as a step to science. In addition, it embraces the praise of self-control, the highest virtue. 3 If, then, reasoning appears to hold the mastery over the emotions which stand in the way of temperance, such as gluttony and lust, 4 it surely also and manifestly rules over the affections which are contrary to justice, such as malice, and of those which are hindrances to courage, such as anger, pain, and fear. 5 Perhaps some may ask, “How is it, then, that reasoning, if it rules the emotions, isn’t also master of forgetfulness and ignorance?” They attempt a ridiculous argument. 6 Because reasoning doesn’t rule over its own emotions, but over those that are contrary to justice, courage, temperance, and self-control; and yet over these, so as to withstand, without destroying them.

7 I might prove to you from many other considerations, that religious reasoning is sole master of the emotions; 8 but I’ll prove it with the greatest force from the fortitude of Eleazar, and seven kindred, and their mother, who suffered death in defence of virtue. 9 Because all these, treating pains with contempt even to death, by this contempt, demonstrated that reasoning has command over the emotions. 10 Because their virtues, then, it’s right that I should commend those men who died with their mother at this time on behalf of nobility and goodness; and for their honours, I may count them blessed. 11 Because they, winning admiration not only from men in general, but even from the persecutors, for their courage and endurance, became the means of the destruction of the tyranny against their nation, having conquered the tyrant by their endurance, so that by them their country was purified. 12 But we may now at once enter on the question, having commenced, as is our custom, with laying down the doctrine, and so proceed to the account of these people, giving glory to the all-wise God.

13 Therefore the question whether reasoning is absolute master of the emotions. 14 Let’s determine, then, what reasoning is and what emotion is, and how many forms of emotion there are, and whether reasoning rules over all of these. 15 Reasoning is intellect accompanied by a life of righteousness, putting foremost the consideration of wisdom. 16 Wisdom is a knowledge of divine and human things, and of their causes. 17 This is contained in the education of the law, by means of which we learn divine things reverently and human things profitably. 18 The forms of wisdom are self-control, justice, courage, and temperance. 19 The leading one of these is self-control, by whose means, indeed, it’s that reasoning rules over the emotions. 20 Of the emotions, pleasure and pain are the two most comprehensive; and they also by nature refer to the soul. 21 There are many attendant affections surrounding pleasure and pain. 22 Before pleasure is lust; and after pleasure, joy. 23 Before pain is fear; and after pain is sorrow. 24 Anger is an affection, common to pleasure and to pain, if any one will pay attention when it comes on him. 25 There exists in pleasure a malicious disposition, which is the most complex of all the affections. 26 In the soul, it’s arrogance, love of money, thirst for honour, contention, faithlessness, and the evil eye. 27 In the body, it’s greediness, indiscriminate eating, and solitary gluttony.

28 As pleasure and pain are, therefore, two growths out of the body and the soul, so there are many offshoots of these emotions. 29 Reasoning, the universal farmer, purging and pruning each of these, tying up, watering, and transplanting, in every way improves the materials of the morals and affections. 30 Because reasoning is the leader of the virtues, but it’s the sole ruler of the emotions.

Observe then first, through the very things which stand in the way of temperance, that reasoning is absolute ruler of the emotions. 31 Now temperance consists of a command over the lusts. 32 But of the lusts, some belong to the soul and others to the body. Reasoning appears to rule over both. 33 Otherwise, how is it that when urged on to forbidden meats, we reject the gratification which would come from them? Isn’t it because reasoning is able to command the appetites? I believe so. 34 Hence it is, then, that when craving seafood, birds, four-footed animals, and all kinds of food which are forbidden to us by the law, we withhold ourselves through the mastery of reasoning. 35 Because the affections of our appetites are resisted by the temperate understanding, and bent back again, and all the impulses of the body are reined in by reasoning.

2 Is it any wonder? If the lusts of the soul, after participation with what’s beautiful, are frustrated, 2 on this ground, therefore, the temperate Yosef (Joseph) is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of the senses. 3 Because, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he nullified by reasoning the stimulus of his emotions. 4 It isn’t merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master. 5 For example, the law says, “You mustn’t desire your neighbour’s wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbour.” 6 Now, then, since it’s the law which has forbidden us to desire, I’ll much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice. 7 Since in what way is a solitary eater, a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it’s clear that reasoning is lord of the emotions? 8 Therefore, a man who regulates his course by the law, even if he’s a lover of money, immediately puts pressure on his own disposition by lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt on the seventh year. 9 If a man is greedy, he’s ruled by the law acting through reasoning, so that he doesn’t glean his harvest crops or vintage. In reference to other points we may perceive that it’s reasoning that conquers his emotions. 10 Because the law conquers even affection towards parents, not surrendering virtue on their account. 11 It prevails over love for one’s wife, rebuking her when she breaks the law. 12 It lords it over the love of parents towards their children, for they punish them for vice. It domineers over the intimacy of friends, reproving them when wicked. 13 Don’t think it’s a strange assertion that reasoning can on behalf of the law conquer even enmity. 14 It doesn’t allow cutting down the fruit trees of an enemy, but preserves them from the destroyers, and collects their fallen ruins. 15 Reason appears to be master of the more violent emotions, like love of empire, empty boasting, and slander. 16 Because the temperate understanding repels all these malignant emotions, as it does anger; for it masters even this. 17 Thus Mosheh (Moses), when angered against Datan and Aviram, did nothing to them in anger, but regulated his anger by reasoning. 18 Because the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the emotions, and to correct some and destroy others. 19 Because why else did our most wise father Ya’akov (Jacob) blame Shim’on (Simeon) and Levi for having irrationally slain the whole race of the Shechemites, saying, “Cursed be their anger!”? 20 Because if reasoning didn’t possess the power of subduing angry affections, he wouldn’t have said this. 21 Because at the time when God created man, he implanted within him his emotions and moral nature. 22 At that time he enthroned the mind above all as the holy leader, through the medium of the senses. 23 He gave a law to this mind, by living according to which it’ll maintain a temperate, just, good, and courageous reign. 24 How, then, a man may say, if reasoning is master of the emotions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance?

6 This may be more clearly comprehended from the thirst of King David. 7 Because after David had been attacking the Pelishtim the whole day, he with the soldiers of his nation killed many of them; 8 then when evening came, sweating and very weary, he came to the royal tent, around which the entire army of our ancestors was encamped. 9 Now all the rest of them were at supper; 10 but the king, being very much thirsty, although he had numerous springs, couldn’t by their means quench his thirst; 11 but a certain irrational longing for the water in the enemy’s camp grew stronger and fiercer on him, undid and consumed him. 12 Therefore his bodyguards being troubled at this longing of the king, two valiant young soldiers, respecting the desire of the king, fully armed themselves, and taking a pitcher, got over the ramparts of the enemies. 13 Unperceived by the guardians of the gate, they went throughout the whole camp of the enemy in quest. 14 Having boldly discovered the fountain, they filled out of it the drink for the king. 15 But he, though parched with thirst, reasoned that a drink regarded of equal value to blood would be terribly dangerous to his soul. 16 Therefore, setting up reasoning in opposition to his desire, he poured out the drink to God. 17 Because the temperate mind has power to conquer the pressure of the emotions, to quench the fires of excitement, 18 and to wrestle down the pains of the body, however excessive, and through the excellency of reasoning, to spurn all the assaults of the emotions. 19 But the occasion now invites us to give an illustration of temperate reasoning from history. 20 Because at a time when our fathers were in possession of undisturbed peace through obedience to the law and were prosperous, so that Seleukos (Seleucus) Nikanor, the king of Asia, both assigned them money for divine service, and accepted their form of government, 21 then certain people, bringing in new things contrary to the public harmony, in various ways fell into calamities.

4 Because a certain man named Shim’on (Simon), who was in opposition to an honourable and good man who once held the high priesthood for life, named Honyo (Onias). After slandering Honyo in every way, Shim’on couldn’t injure him with the people, so he went away as an exile, with the intention of betraying his country. 2 When coming to Apolonios, the military governor of Aram (Syria), Foinikai, and Kilikia, he said, 3 “Having good will to the king’s affairs, I’ve come to inform you that tens of thousands in private wealth is laid up in the treasuries of Yerushalem (Jerusalem) which don’t belong to the temple, but belong to King Seleukos.” 4 Apolonios, acquainting himself with the particulars of this, praised Shim’on for his care of the king’s interests, and going up to Seleukos informed him of the treasure. 5 Getting authority about it, and quickly advancing into our country with the accursed Shim’on and a very heavy force, 6 he said that he came with the king’s commands that he should take the private money of the treasury. 7 The nation, indignant at this proclamation, and replying to the effect that it was extremely unfair that those who’d committed deposits to the sacred treasury should be deprived of them, resisted as well as they could. 8 But Apolonios went away with threats into the temple. 9 The priests, with the women and children, asked God to throw his shield over the holy, despised place, 10 and Apolonios was going up with his armed force to seize the treasure, when angels from heaven appeared riding on horseback, all radiant in armour, filling them with much fear and trembling. 11 Apolonios fell half dead on the courtyard which is open to all nations, and extended his hands to heaven, and implored the Ivrim (Hebrews), with tears, to pray for him, and take away the anger of the heavenly army. 12 Because he said that he’d sinned, so as to be consequently worthy of death, and that if he were saved, he’d proclaim to all people the blessedness of the holy place. 13 Honyo the high priest, induced by these words, although for other reasons anxious that King Seleukos wouldn’t suppose that Apolonios was slain by human device and not by Divine punishment, prayed for him; 14 and he being thus unexpectedly saved, departed to report to the king what had happened to him. 15 But on the death of Seleukos the king, his son Antiokos (Antiochus) Epifanes (Epiphanes) succeeded to the kingdom—a terrible man of arrogant pride.

16 He, having deposed Honyo (Onias) from the high priesthood, appointed his brother Yason to be high priest, 17 who’d made a covenant, if he’d give him this authority, to pay yearly three thousand and six hundred and sixty talents. 18 He committed to him the high priesthood and rulership over the nation. 19 He both changed the manner of living of the people, and perverted their civil customs into all lawlessness. 20 So that he not only erected a gymnasium on the very citadel of our country, but neglected the guardianship of the temple. 21 Because of that, Divine vengeance was grieved and instigated Antiokos himself against them. 22 Because being at war with Ptolemaios (Ptolemy) in Mitsrayim (Egypt), he heard that on a report of his death being spread abroad, the inhabitants of Yerushalem (Jerusalem) had greatly rejoiced, and he quickly marched against them. 23 Having subdued them, he established a decree that if any of them lived according to the ancestral laws, he should die. 24 When he could by no means destroy by his decrees the obedience to the law of the nation, but saw all his threats and punishments without effect, 25 for even women, because they continued to circumcise their children, were flung down a precipice along with them, knowing beforehand of the punishment. 26 When, therefore, his decrees were disregarded by the people, he himself compelled by means of tortures every one of this race, by tasting forbidden meats, to renounce the Jewish religion.

5 The tyrant Antiokos, therefore, sitting in public state with his assessors on a certain lofty place, with his armed troops standing in a circle around him, 2 commanded his spearbearers to seize every one of the Ivrim (Hebrews), and to compel them to taste swine’s flesh and things offered to idols. 3 Should any of them be unwilling to eat the accursed food, they were to be tortured on the wheel and so killed. 4 When many had been seized, a foremost man of the assembly, a Hebrew, by name Eleazar, a priest by family, by profession a lawyer, and advanced in years, and for this reason known to many of the king’s followers, was brought near to him.

5 Antiokos, seeing him, said, 6 “I’d counsel you, old man, before your tortures begin, to taste the swine’s flesh, and save your life; for I feel respect for your age and hoary head, which since you’ve had so long, you appear to me to be no philosopher in retaining the superstition of the Yehudim (Jews). 7 Because therefore, since nature has conferred on you the most excellent flesh of this animal, do you loathe it? 8 It seems senseless not to enjoy what’s pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the gifts of nature. 9 You’ll be acting, I think, still more senselessly, if you follow vain conceits about the truth. 10 You will, moreover, be despising me to your own punishment. 11 won’t you awake from your trifling philosophy, give up the folly of your notions, and regaining understanding worthy of your age, search into the truth of an expedient course? 12 won’t you respect my kindly admonition and have pity on your own years? 13 Because bear in mind that if there’s any power which watches over this religion of yours, it’ll pardon you for all transgressions of the law which you commit through compulsion.”

14 While the tyrant incited him in this manner to the unlawful eating of meat, Eleazar begged permission to speak. 15 Having received permission to speak, he began to address the people as follows: 16 “We, Oh Antiokos (Antiochus), who are persuaded that we live under a divine law, consider no compulsion to be so forcible as obedience to that law. 17 Therefore we consider that we ought not to transgress the law in any way. 18 Indeed, were our law (as you suppose) not truly divine, and if we wrongly think it divine, we’d have no right even in that case to destroy our sense of religion. 19 Don’t think that eating unclean meat is a trifling offence. 20 Because transgression of the law, whether in small or great matters, is of equal importance; 21 for in either case the law is equally slighted. 22 But you deride our philosophy, as though we lived in it irrationally. 23 Yet it instructs us in self-control, so that we’re superior to all pleasures and lusts; and it trains us in courage, so that we cheerfully undergo every grievance. 24 It instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealings we render what’s due. It teaches us piety, so that we properly worship the one and only God. 25 That’s why we don’t eat the unclean; for believing that the law was established by God, we’re convinced that the Creator of the world, in giving his laws, sympathises with our nature. 26 Those things which are suitable for our souls, he’s directed us to eat; but those which aren’t, he has forbidden. 27 But, tyrant-like, you not only force us to break the law, but also to eat, that you may ridicule us as we thus profanely eat. 28 But you won’t have this cause of laughter against me, 29 nor will I transgress the sacred oaths of my forefathers to keep the law. 30 No, not if you pluck out my eyes, and consume my entrails. 31 I’m not so old, and void of courage as to not be youthful in reason and in defence of my religion. 32 Now then, prepare your wheels, and kindle a fiercer flame. 33 I won’t so pity my old age, as on my account to break the law of my country. 34 I won’t play false to you, Oh law, my instructor, or forsake you, Oh beloved self-control! 35 I won’t put you to shame, Oh philosopher Reason, or deny you, Oh honoured priesthood and knowledge of the law. 36 Mouth! You mustn’t disgrace my old age, nor the full stature of a perfect life. 37 My ancestors will receive me as pure, not having feared your compulsion, even to death. 38 Because you’ll rule like a tyrant over the ungodly, but you won’t lord it over my thoughts about religion, either by your arguments, or through actions.”

6 When Eleazar had in this manner answered the exhortations of the tyrant, the spearbearers came up, and rudely dragged Eleazar to the instruments of torture. 2 First, they stripped the old man, adorned as he was with the beauty of piety. 3 Then tying back his arms and hands, they disdainfully flogged him. 4 A herald opposite cried out, “Obey the king’s commands!”

5 But the high-minded and truly noble Eleazar, as one tortured in a dream, ignored it. 6 But raising his eyes on high to heaven, the old man’s flesh was stripped off by the scourges, and his blood streamed down, and his sides were pierced through. 7 Falling on the ground from his body having no power to endure the pains, he still kept his reasoning upright and unbending. 8 Then one of the harsh spearbearers rushed at him and began to kick him in the side to force him to get up again after he fell. 9 But he endured the pains, despised the cruelty, and persevered through the indignities. 10 Like a noble athlete, the old man, when struck, vanquished his torturers. 11 His face sweating, and he panting for breath, he was admired even by the torturers for his courage.

12 Therefore, partly in pity for his old age, 13 partly from the sympathy of acquaintance, and partly in admiration of his endurance, some of the attendants of the king said, 14 “Why do you unreasonably destroy yourself, Oh Eleazar, with these miseries? 15 We’ll bring you some meat cooked by yourself, and you can save yourself by pretending that you’ve eaten swine’s flesh.”

16 Eleazar, as though the advice more painfully tortured him, cried out, 17 “Let us who are children of Avraham not be so evil advised as by giving way to make use of an unbecoming pretence. 18 Because it’d be irrational, if having lived up to old age in all truth, and having scrupulously guarded our character for it, we’d now turn back 19 and ourselves become a pattern of impiety to the young, as being an example of eating pollution. 20 It’d be disgraceful if we’d live on some short time, and that scorned by all men for cowardice, 21 and be condemned by the tyrant for cowardice by not contending to the death for our divine law. 22 Therefore you, Oh children of Avraham, die nobly for your religion. 23 You spearbearers of the tyrant, why do you linger?”

24 Listening him so high-minded against misery, and not changing at their pity, they led him to the fire. 25 Then with their wickedly contrived instruments they burnt him on the fire, and poured stinking fluids down into his nostrils.

26 He being at length burnt down to the bones, and about to expire, raised his eyes Godward, and said, 27 “You know, Oh God, that when I might have been saved, I’m slain for the sake of the law by tortures of fire. 28 Be merciful to your people, and be satisfied with the punishment of me on their account. 29 Let my blood be a purification for them, and take my life in exchange for theirs.” 30 Thus speaking, the holy man departed, noble in his torments, and even to the agonies of death resisted in his reasoning for the sake of the law. 31 Confessedly, therefore, religious reasoning is master of the emotions. 32 Because had the emotions been superior to reasoning, I’d have given them the witness of this mastery. 33 But now, since reasoning conquered the emotions, we befittingly award it the authority of first place. 34 It’s only fair that we should allow that the power belongs to reasoning, since it masters external miseries. 35 It’d be ridiculous if it weren’t so. I prove that reasoning hasn’t only mastered pains, but that it’s also superior to the pleasures, and withstands them.

7 The reasoning of our father Eleazar, like a first-rate pilot, steering the vessel of piety in the sea of emotions, 2 and flouted by the threats of the tyrant, and overwhelmed with the breakers of torture, 3 in no way shifted the rudder of piety until it sailed into the harbour of victory over death. 4 No besieged city has ever held out against many and various war machines as that holy man did when his pious soul was tried with the fiery trial of tortures and rackings and moved his besiegers through the religious reasoning that shielded him. 5 Because father Eleazar, projecting his disposition, broke the raging waves of the emotions as with a jutting cliff. 6 Oh priest worthy of the priesthood! You didn’t pollute your sacred teeth, nor make your appetite, which had always embraced the clean and lawful, a partaker of profanity. 7 Oh harmoniser with the law, and sage devoted to a divine life! 8 Of such a character ought those to be who perform the duties of the law at the risk of their own blood, and defend it with generous sweat by sufferings even to death. 9 You, father, have gloriously established our right government by your endurance; and making of much account our past service, prevented its destruction, and by your actions, have made credible the words of philosophy. 10 Oh aged man of more power than tortures, elder more vigorous than fire, greatest king over the emotions, Eleazar! 11 Because as father Aharon (Aaron), armed with a censer, hastening through the consuming fire, vanquished the flame-bearing angel, 12 so, Eleazar, the descendant of Aharon, wasted away by the fire, didn’t give up his reasoning. 13 What’s most wonderful is that though he was an old man, though the labours of his body were now spent, his muscles were relaxed, and his sinews worn out, he recovered youth. 14 By the spirit of reasoning, and the reasoning of Yitshak (Isaac), he rendered powerless the many-headed rack. 15 Oh blessed old age, and reverend hoar head, and life obedient to the law, which the faithful seal of death perfected. 16 If, then, an old man, through religion, despised tortures even to death, then certainly religious reasoning is ruler of the emotions. 17 But perhaps some might say, “It isn’t all who conquer emotions, as not all possess wise reasoning.” 18 But those who’ve meditated on religion with their whole heart, these alone can master the emotions of the flesh: 19 they who believe that to God they don’t die; for, as our forefathers, Avraham, Yitshak, and Ya’akov (Jacob), they live to God. 20 This circumstance, then, is by no means an objection, that some who have weak reasoning are governed by their emotions, 21 since what person, walking religiously by the whole rule of philosophy, and believing in God, 22 and knowing that it’s a blessed thing to endure all kinds of hardships for virtue, wouldn’t, for the sake of religion, master his emotion? 23 Because only the wise and brave man is lord over his emotions. 24 This is why even boys, trained with the philosophy of religious reasoning, have conquered still more bitter tortures; 25 for when the tyrant was manifestly vanquished in his first attempt, in being unable to force the old man to eat the unclean thing,

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,