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.