Axial Commons
At which Divine vengeance being grieved, instigated Antiochus himself against them.
Greek · SeptuagintἘφʼ οἷς ἀγανακτήσασα ἡ θεία δίκη αὐτόν τοι τὸν Ἀντίοχον ἐπολέμησεν.
Hebrew / Jewish
Septuagint (Greek Old Testament)
4 Maccabees
For being at war with Ptolemy in Egypt, he heard that on a report of his death being spread abroad, the inhabitants of Jerusalem had exceedingly rejoiced, and he quickly marched against them.
Greek · SeptuagintἘπειδὴ γὰρ πολεμῶν ἦν κατʼ Αἴγυπ τον Πτολεμαίῳ, ἤκουσέν τε, ὅτι φήμης διαδοθείσης περὶ τιῦ τεθνάναι αὐτὸν, ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα χαίροιεν οἱ Ἱεροσολυμῖται, ταχέως ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἀνέζευξεν.
And having subdued them, he established a decree that if any of them lived according to the laws of his country, he should die.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ ὡς ἐπόρθσεν αὐτοὺς, δόγμα ἔθετο, ὅπως εἴ τινες αὐτῶν φάνοιεν τῷ πατρίῳ πολιτευόμενοι νόμῳ θάνοιεν.
And 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,
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον ἴσχυεν καταλῦσαι διὰ τῶν δογμάτων τὴν τοῦ ἔθνους εὔνοιαν, ἀλλὰ πάσας τὰς ἑαυτοῦ ἀπειλὰς καὶ τιμωρίας ἑώρα καταλυομένας,
for even women, because they continued to circumcise their children, were flung down a precipice along with them, knowing beforehand of the punishment.
Greek · Septuagintὥστε καὶ γυναῖκας, ὅτι περιέτεμον τὰ παιδία, μετὰ τῶν βρεφῶν κατακρημνισθῆναι, προειδυίας ὅτι τοῦτο πείσονται·
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 abjure the Jewish religion.
Greek · Septuagintἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ δόγματα αὑτοῦ κατεφρονεῖτο ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ, αὐτὸς διὰ βασάνων ἕνα ἕκαστον τούτου ἔθνους ἠνάγκαζεν μικρῶν ἀπογευομένους τροφῶν, ἐξόμνυσθαι τὸν Ἰουδαϊσμόν.
The tyrant Antiochus, therefore, sitting in public state with his assessors upon a certain lofty place, with his armed troops standing in a circle round him,
Greek · SeptuagintΠροκαθίσας γέ τοι μετὰ τῶν συνέδρων ὁ τύραννος Ἀντίοχος ἐπί τινος ὑψηλοῦ τόπου,
commanded his spearbearers to seize every one of the Hebrews, and to compel them to taste swine's flesh, and things offered to idols.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ τῶν στρατευμάτων αὐτῶν ἐνόπλων κυκλόθεν παρεστηκότων παρεκέλευεν τοῖς δορυφόροις ἕνα ἕκαστον τῶν Ἑβραίων περισπᾶσθαι καὶ κρεῶν ὑείων καὶ εἰδωλοθύτων ἀναγκάζειν ἀπογεύεσθαι.
And should any of them be unwilling to eat the accursed food, they were to be tortured on the wheel, and so killed.
Greek · SeptuagintΕἰ δὲ τινες μὴ θέλοιεν μιαροφαγῆσαι, τούτους τροχισθέντας ἀναιρεθῆναι.
And 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.
Greek · SeptuagintΠολλῶν δὲ συναρπασθέντων, εἷς πρῶτος ἐκ τῆς ἀγέλης Ἑβραῖος ὀνόματι Ἐλεάζαρος, τὸ γένος ἱερεὺς, τὴν ἐπιστήμην νομικὸς, καὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν προήκων, καὶ πολλοῖς τῶν περὶ τὸν τύραννον διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν γνώριμος, παρήχθη πλησίον αὐτοῦ.
And Antiochus seeing him, said,
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ αὐτὸν ἰδὼν ὁ Ἀντίοχος, ἔφη,
I would counsel thee, old man, before thy 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 have had so long, you appear to me to be no philosopher in retaining the superstition of the Jews.
Greek · Septuagintἐγὼ πρὶν ἂρξασθαι τῶν κατὰ σοῦ βασάνων, ὦ πρεσβύτα, συμβουλεύσαιμʼ ἄν σοι ταῦτα ὅπως ἀπογευσάμενος τῶν ὑείων σώζοιο· αἰδοῦμαι γάρ σου τὴν ἡλικίαν καὶ τὴν πολιὰν, ἥν μετὰ τοσοῦτον ἔχων χρόνον, οὔ μοι δοκεῖς φιλοσοφεῖν, τῇ Ἰουδαιων χρώμενος θρησκείᾳ.
For wherefore, since nature has conferred upon you the most excellent flesh of this animal, do you loathe it?
Greek · SeptuagintΔιατί γὰρ τῆς φύσεως κεχαρισμένης καλλίστην τὴν τοῦδε τοῦ ζώου σαρκοφαγίαν βδελύττῃ;
It seems senseless not to enjoy what is pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the boons of nature.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ γὰρ ἀνόητον τοῦτο τὸ μὴ ἀπολαύειν τῶν χωρὶς ὀνείδους ἡδέων, καὶ διʼ ἄδικον ἀποστρέφεσθαι τὰς τῆς φύσεως χάριτας.
And you will be acting, I think, still more senselessly, if you follow vain conceits about the truth.
Greek · SeptuagintΣὺ δέ μοι καὶ ἀνοητότερον ποιήσειν δοκεῖς, εἰ κενοδοξῶν περὶ τὸ ἀληθὲς,
And you will, moreover, be despising me to your own punishment.
Greek · Septuagintἔτι κᾀμοῦ καταφρονήσεις ἐπὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ τιμωρίᾳ· οὐκ ἐξυπνώσεις ἀπὸ τῆς φλυάρου φιλοσοφίας ὑμῶν;
Will you not awake from your trifling philosophy? and give up the folly of your notions; and, regaining understanding worthy of your age, search into the truth of an expedient course?
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ ἀποσκεδάσεις ψῶν λογισμῶν σου τὸν λῆρον, καὶ ἄξιον τῆς ἡλικίας ἀναλαβῶν νοῦν φιλοσοφήσεις τήν τοῦ συμφέροντος ἀλήθειαν;
and, reverencing my kindly admonition, have pity upon your own years?
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ προσκυνήσας μου τὴν φιλάνθρωπον παρηγορίαν οἰκτειρήσεις τὸ σεαυτοῦ γῆρας;
For, bear in mind, that if there be any power which watches over this religion of yours, it will pardon you for all transgressions of the law which you commit through compulsion.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ γὰρ ἐνθυμήθητι, ὡς εἰ καί τις ἐστιν τῆσδε τῆς θρησκείας ἐποπτικὴ δύναμις, συγνωμονήσειν σοι ἐπὶ πᾶσιν διʼ ἀνάγκην παρανομίᾳ γεινομένῃ.
While the tyrant incited him in this manner to the unlawful eating of flesh, Eleazar begged permission to speak.
Greek · SeptuagintΤοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἐπὶ τὴν ἔκθεσμον σαρκοφαγίαν ἐποτρύνοντος τοῦ τυράννου, λόγον ᾔτησεν ὁ Ἐλεάζαρος.
And having received power to speak, he began thus to deliver himself:
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ λαβὼν τοῦ λέγειν ἐξουσίαν, ἤρξατο δημηγορεῖν οὕτως·
We, O Antiochus, who are persuaded that we live under a divine law, consider no compulsion to be so forcible as obedience to that law;
Greek · Septuagintἡμεῖς, Αντίοχε, θείῳ πεπεισμένοι νόμῳ πολιτευεσθαι, οὐδεμίαν ἀνάγκην βιαιοτέραν εἶναι νομίζομεν τῆς πρὸς τὸν νόμον ἡμῶν εὐπειθείας.
wherefore we consider that we ought not in any point to transgress the law.
Greek · SeptuagintΔιὸ δὲ κατʼ οὐδένα τρόπον παρανομεῖν ἀξιοῦμεν.
And indeed, were our law (as you suppose) not truly divine, and if we wrongly think it divine, we should have no right even in that case to destroy our sense of religion.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαί τοι εἰ καὶ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν μὴ ἦν ὁ νόμος ἡμῶν, ὡς σὺ ὑπολαμβάνεις, θεῖος, (ἄλλως δὲ νομίζομεν αὐτὸν εἶναι θεῖον) οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐξὸν ἡμῖν ἦν τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ δόκαν ἀκυρῶσαι.
Think not eating the unclean, then, a trifling offence.
Greek · SeptuagintΜὴ μικρὰν οὖν εἶναι νομίσῃς ταύτην, εἰ μιαροφαγήσεμεν, ἁμαρτίαν.
For transgression of the law, whether in small or great matters, is of equal moment;
Greek · SeptuagintΤὸ γὰρ ἐν μικροῖς καὶ ἐν μεγάλοις παρανομεῖν ἰσοδύναμόν ἐστιν·
for in either case the law is equally slighted.
Greek · Septuagintδιʼ ἑκατέρου γὰρ ὡς ὁμοίως ὁ νόμος ὑπερηφανεῖται.
But thou deridest our philosophy, as though we lived irrationally in it.
Greek · SeptuagintΧλευάζεις δὲ ἡμῶν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, ὥσπερ οὐ μετὰ εὐλογιστίας ἐν αὐτῇ βιούντων.
Yet it instructs us in temperance, so that we are superior to all pleasures and lusts; and it exercises us in manliness, so that we cheerfully undergo every grievance.
Greek · SeptuagintΣωφροσύνην τε γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐκδιδάσκει, ὥστε πασῶν τῶν ἡδονῶν καὶ ἐπιθυμιῶν κρατεῖν, καὶ ἀνδρείαν ἐξασκεῖν, ὥστε πάντα πόνον ἑκουσίως ὑπομένειν·
And it instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealings we render what is due; and it teaches us piety, so that we worship the one only God becomingly.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ δικαιοσύνην παιδεύει, ὥστε διὰ πάντων τῶν ἠθῶν ἰσονομεῖν καὶ εὐσέβειαν διδάσκειν, ὥστε μόνον τὸν ὄντα Θεὸν σέβειν μεγαλοπρεπῶς.
Wherefore it is that we eat not the unclean; for believing that the law was established by God, we are convinced that the Creator of the world, in giving his laws, sympathises with our nature.
Greek · SeptuagintΔιὸ οὐ μιαροφαγοῦμεν· πιστεύοντες γὰρ Θεοῦ καθεστᾶναι τὸν νόμον, οἴδαμεν ὅτι καὶ κατὰ φύσιν ἡμῖν συμπαθεῖ νομοθετῶν ὁ τοῦ κόσμου κτίστης·
Those things which are convenient to our souls, he has directed us to eat; but those which are repugnant to them, he has interdicted.
Greek · Septuagintτὰ μὲν οἰκειωθωσόμενα ἡμῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐπέτρεψεν ἐσθίειν, τὰ δὲ ἐναντιωθησόμενα ἐκώλυσεν σαρκοφαγεῖν.
But, tyrant-like, thou not only forcest us to break the law, but also to eat, that thou mayest ridicule us as we thus profanely eat:
Greek · SeptuagintΤυραννικὸν δὲ, οὐ μόνον ἀναγκάζεις ἡμᾶς παρανομεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐσθίειν, ὅπως τῇ ἐχθίστῃ ἡμῶν μιαροφαγίᾳ ταύτῃ ἔτι ἐγγελάσῃς.
but thou shalt not have this cause of laughter against me;
Greek · SeptuagintἈλλʼ οὐ γελάσεις κατʼ ἐμοῦ τοῦτον τὸν γέλωτα·
nor will I transgress the sacred oaths of my forefathers to keep the law.
Greek · Septuagintοὔτε τοὺς ἱεροὺς τῶν προγόνων περὶ τοῦ φυλάξαι τὸν νόμον ὅρκους οὐ παρήσω.
No, not if you pluck out my eyes, and consume my entrails.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐδʼ ἂν ἐκκόψεις μου τὰ ὄμματα, καὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα μου τήξεις.
I am not so old, and void of manliness, but that my rational powers are youthful in defence of my religion.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐχ οὕτως εἰμὶ γέρων ἐγὼ καὶ ἄνανδρος, ὥστε μοι διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν μὴ νεάζειν τὸν λογισμόν.
Now then; prepare your wheels, and kindle a fiercer flame.
Greek · SeptuagintΠρὸς ταῦτα τροχοὺς εὐτρέπιζε, καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἐκφύσα σφοδρότερον.
I will not so compassionate my old age, as on my account to break the law of my country.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐχ οὕτως οἰκτειρήσω τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ γῆρας, ὥστε με διʼ ἐμαυτοῦ τὸν πάτριον καταλῦσαι νόμον.
I will not belie thee, O law, my instructor! or forsake thee, O beloved self-control.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐ ψεύσομαί σε, παιδευτὰ νόμε, οὐδὲ φεύξομαί σε, φίλη ἐγκράτεια.
I will not put thee to shame, O philosopher Reason; or deny thee, O honoured priesthood, and science of the law.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐδὲ καταισχυνῶ σε, φιλόσοφε λόγε, οὐδὲ ἐξαρνήσεμαί σε, ἱερωσύνη τιμία, καὶ νομοθεσίας ἐπιστήμη·
Mouth! thou shalt not pollute my old age, nor the full stature of a perfect life.
Greek · Septuagintοὐδὲ μιανεῖς μου τὸ σεμνὸν γήρηως στόμα, οὐδὲ νομίμου βίου ἡλικίαν.
My fathers shall receive me pure, not having quailed before your compulsion, though unto death.
Greek · SeptuagintἉγνόν με οἱ πατέρες προσδέξονται, μὴ φοβηθέντα σου τὰς μέχρι θανάτου ἀνάγκας.
For over the ungodly thou shalt tyrannize; but thou shalt not lord it over my thoughts about religion, either by thy arguments, or through deeds.
Greek · SeptuagintἈσεβῶν μὲν γὰρ τυραννήσεις· τῶν δὲ ἐμῶν περὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας λογισμῶν οὔτε λόγοις δεσπόσεις, οὔτε διʼ ἔργων.
When Eleazar had in this manner answered the exhortations of the tyrant, the spearbearers came up, and rudely haled Eleazar to the instruments of torture.
Greek · SeptuagintΤοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἀντιρητορεύσαντα ταῖς τοῦ τυράννου παρηγορίαις, παραστάντες οἱ δορυφόροι πικρῶς ἔσυραν ἐπὶ τὰ βασανιστήρια τὸν Ἐλεάζαρον.
And first, they stripped the old man, adorned as he was with the comeliness of piety.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ πρῶτον μὲν περιέδυσαν τὸν γηραιὸν ἐκκεκοσμημένον περὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν εὐσχημοσύνην.
Then tying back his arms and hands, they disdainfully used him with stripes;
Greek · SeptuagintἜπειτα περιαγκωνίσαντες ἑκατέρωθεν, μάστιξιν κατῇκιζον·
a herald opposite crying out, Obey the commands of the king.
Greek · Septuagintπείσθητι ταῖς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐντολαῖς, ἑτέρωθεν κήρυκος ἐπιβοῶντος.
But Eleazar, the high-minded and truly noble, as one tortured in a dream, regarded it not at all.
Greek · SeptuagintὉ δὲ μεγαλόφρων καὶ εὐγενὴς ὡς ἀληθῶς Ἐλεάζαρος, ὥσπερ ἐν ὀνείρω βασανιζόμενος κατʼ οὐδένα τρόπον μετετρέπετο.
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.
Greek · SeptuagintἈλλὰ ὑψηλοὺς ἀνατείνας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἀπεξαίνετο ταῖς μάστιξιν τὰς σάρκας ὁ γέρων, καὶ κατεῤῥεῖτο τῷ αἵματι,
And falling upon the ground, from his body having no power to support the pains, he yet kept his reasoning upright and unbending.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ τὰ πλευρὰ κατετιτρώσκετο, καὶ πίπτων εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ φέρειν τὸ σῶμα τὰς ἀλγηδόνας, ὀρθὸν εἶχεν καὶ ἀκλινῆ τὸν λογισμόν.
Then one of the harsh spearbearers leaped upon his belly as he was falling, to force him upright.
Greek · SeptuagintΛὰξ γέ τοι τῶν πικρῶν τις δορυφόρων, εἰς τοὺς κενεῶνας ἐναλλόμενος ἔτυπτεν, ὅπως ἐξανίσταιτο πίπτων.
But he endured the pains, and despised the cruelty, and persevered through the indignities;
Greek · SeptuagintὉ δὲ ὑπέμενεν τοὺς πόνους, καὶ περιεφρόνει τῆς ἀνάγκης, καὶ διεκαρτέρει τοὺς αἰκισμοὺς,
and like a noble athlete, the old man, when struck, vanquished his torturers.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ καθάπερ γενναῖος ἀθλητὴς τυπτόμενος ἐνίκα τοὺς βασανίζοντας ὁ γέρων.
His countenance sweating, and he panting for breath, he was admired by the very torturers for his courage.
Greek · SeptuagintἹδρῶν γέ τοι τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐπασθμαίνων σφοδρῶς, καὶ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τῶν βασανιζόντων ἐθαυμάζετο ἐπὶ τῇ εὐτυχίᾳ.
Wherefore, partly in pity for his old age,
Greek · SeptuagintὍθεν τὰ μὲν ἐλεοῦντες τὰ τοῦ γήρως αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ ἐν συμπαθείᾳ τῆς συνηθείας ὄντες,
partly from the sympathy of acquaintance, and partly in admiration of his endurance, some of the attendants of the king said,
Greek · Septuagintτὰ δὲ ἐν θαυμαστῷ τῆς καρτερίας προσιόντες αὐτῷ τινὲς τῶν τοῦ βασιλέως ἔλεγον,
Why do you unreasonably destroy yourself, O Eleazar, with these miseries?
Greek · Septuagintτί τοῖς κακοῖς τούτοις σεαντὸν ἀλογίστως ἀπολλεῖς,
We will bring you some meat cooked by yourself, and do you save yourself by pretending that you have eaten swine's flesh.
Greek · SeptuagintἘλεάζαρ; ἡμεῖς μὲν τῶν ἡψημένων βρωμάτων παραθήσομεν· σὺ δὲ ὑποκρινόμενος τῶν ὑείων ἀπογεύσασθαι, σώθητι.
And Eleazar, as though the advice more painfully tortured him, cried out,
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ ὁ Ἐλεάζαρος, ὥσπερ πικρότερον διὰ τῆς συμβουλίας αἰκισθεὶς, ἀνεβόησεν,
Let not us who are children of Abraham be so evil advised as by giving way to make use of an unbecoming pretence;
Greek · Septuagintμὴ οὕτως κακῶς φρονήσαιμεν οἱ Ἁβραὰμ παῖδες, ὥστε μαλακοψυχήσαντας ἀπρεπὲς ἡμῖν δρᾶμα ὑποκρίνασθαι.
for it were irrational, if having lived up to old age in all truth, and having scrupulously guarded our character for it, we should now turn back,
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ γὰρ ἀλόγιστον, εἰ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ζήσαντες τὸν μέχρι γήρως βίον, καὶ τὴν ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δόξαν νομίμως φυλάσσοντες, νῦν μεταβαλοίμεθα,
and ourselves should become a pattern of impiety to the young, as being an example of pollution eating.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ αὐτοὶ μὲν ἡμεῖς γενοίμεθα τοῖς νέοις ἀσεβείας τύπος, ἵνα παράδειγμα γενώμεθα τῆς μιεροφαγίας.
It would be disgraceful if we should live on some short time, and that scorned by all men for cowardice,
Greek · SeptuagintΑἰσχρὸν γὰρ εἰ ἐπιβιώσωμεν ἀλίγον χρόνον,
and be condemned by the tyrant for unmanliness, by not contending to the death for our divine law.
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ τοῦτον καταγελώμενοι πρὸς ἁπάντων ἐπὶ δειλίᾳ· καὶ ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ τυράννου καταφρονηθῶμεν ὡς ἄνανδροι, τὸν δὲ θεῖον ἡμῶν νόμον μέχρι θανάτου μὴ προασπίσαιμεν.
Wherefore do you, O children of Abraham, die nobly for your religion.
Greek · SeptuagintΠρὸς ταῦτα ὑμεῖς μὲν, ὦ Ἁβραὰμ παῖδες, εὐγενῶς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας τελευτᾶτε.
Ye spearbearers of the tyrant, why do ye linger?
Greek · SeptuagintΟἱ δὲ τοῦ τυράννου δορυφόροι, τί μέλλετε;
Beholding him so high-minded against misery, and not changing at their pity, they led him to the fire:
Greek · SeptuagintΠρὸς τὰς ἀνάγκας οὕτως μεγαλοφρονοῦντα αὐτὸν ἰδόντες καὶ μηδὲ πρὸς τὸν οἰκτιρμὸν αὐτῶν μεταβαλλόμενον, ἐπὶ πῦρ αὐτὸν ἤγαγον.
then with their wickedly-contrived instruments they burnt him on the fire, and poured stinking fluids down into his nostrils.
Greek · SeptuagintἜνθα διὰ κακοτέχνων ὀργάνων καταφλέγοντες αὐτὸν ὑπερέπτοσαν, καὶ δυσώδεις χυλοὺς εἰς τοὺς μυκτῆρας αὐτοῦ κατέχεον.
And he being at length burnt down to the bones, and about to expire, raised his eyes God-ward, and said,
Greek · SeptuagintὉ δὲ μέχρι τῶν ὀστέων ἤδη κατακεκαυμένος καὶ μέλλων λιποθυμεῖν, ἀνέτεινεν τὰ ὄμματα πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ εἶπεν, σὺ οἶσθα, Θεὲ, παρόν μοι σώζεσθαι,
Thou knowest, O God, that when I might have been saved, I am slain for the sake of the law by tortures of fire.
Greek · Septuagintβασάνοις καυστικαῖς ἀποθνήσκω διὰ τὸν νόμον.
Be merciful to thy people, and be satisfied with the punishment of me on their account.
Greek · SeptuagintἽλεως γενοῦ τῷ ἔθνει σου, ἀρκεσθεὶς τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ περὶ αὐτῶν δίκῃ.
Let my blood be a purification for them, and take my life in recompense for theirs.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαθάρσιον αὐτῶν ποίησον τὸ ἐμὸν αἷμα, καὶ ἀντίψυχον αὐτῶν λαβὲ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν.
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.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ ἱερὸς ἀνὴρ εὐγενῶς ταῖς βασάνοις ἐναπέθανεν, καὶ μέχρι τῶν τοῦ θανάτου βασάνων ἀντέστη τῷ λσγισμῷ διὰ τὸν νόμον.
Confessedly, therefore, religious reasoning is master of the passions.
Greek · SeptuagintὉμολογουμένως οἶν δεσπότης ἐστὶν τῶν παθῶν ὁ εὐσεβὴς λογισμός.
For had the passions been superior to reasoning, I would have given them the witness of this mastery.
Greek · SeptuagintΕἰ γὰρ τὰ πάθη τοῦ λογισμοῦ κεκρατήκει, τούτοις ἂν ἀπεδόμην τὴν τῆς ἐπικρατείας μαρτυρίαν.
But now, since reasoning conquered the passions, we befittingly award it the authority of first place.
Greek · SeptuagintΝυνὶ δὲ τοῦ λογισμοῦ τὰ πάθη νικήσαντος, αὐτῷ προσηκόντως τὴν τῆς ἡγεμονίας προσνέμομεν ἐξουσίαν.
And it is but fair that we should allow, that the power belongs to reasoning, since it masters external miseries.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαὶ δίκαιόν ἐστιν ὁμολογεῖν ἡμᾶς, τὸ κράτος εἶναι τοῦ λογισμοῦ, ὅπου γε καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀλγηδόνων ἐπικρατεῖ.
Ridiculous would it be were it not so; and I prove that reasoning has not only mastered pains, but that it is also superior to the pleasures, and withstands them.
Greek · SeptuagintἘπεὶ καὶ γελοῖον· καὶ οὐ μόνον τῶν ἀλγηδόνων ἐπιδείκνυμι κεκρατηκέναι τὸν λογισμὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἡδονῶν κρατεῖν, μηδὲ αὐταῖς ὑπείκειν.
The reasoning of our father Eleazar, like a first-rate pilot, steering the vessel of piety in the sea of passions,
Greek · SeptuagintὭσπερ καὶ ἄριστος κυβερνήτης ὁ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἐλεαζάρου λογισμὸς, πηδαλιουεχῶν τὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας ναῦν ἐν τῷ τῶν παθῶν πελάγει,
and flouted by the threats of the tyrant, and overwhelmed with the breakers of torture,
Greek · Septuagintκαὶ καταικιζόμενος ταῖς τοῦ τυράννου ἀπειλαῖς, καὶ καταντλούμενος ταῖς τῶν βασάνων τρικυμίαις,
in no way shifted the rudder of piety till it sailed into the harbour of victory over death.
Greek · Septuagintκατʼ οὐδένα τρόπον μετέτρεψεν τοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας οἴακας, ἕως οὗ ἔπλευσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς θανάτου νίκης λιμένα.
Not so has ever a city, when besieged, held out against many and various machines, as did that holy man, when his pious soul was tried with the fiery trial of tortures and rackings, move his besiegers through the religious reasoning that shielded him.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐχ οὕτως πόλις πολλοῖς καὶ ποικίλοις μηχανήμασιν ἀντέσχεν ποτὲ πολιορκουμένη, ὡς ὁ πανάγιος ἐκεῖνος τὴν ἱερὰν ψυχὴν αἰκισμοῖς τε καὶ στρέβλαις πυρπολούμενος, ἐκίνησεν τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας, διὰ τὸν ὑπερασπίζοντα τῆς εὐσεβείας λογισμόν.
For father Eleazar, projecting his disposition, broke the raging waves of the passions as with a jutting promontory.
Greek · SeptuagintὭσπερ γὰρ πρόκρημνον ἄκραν, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διὰνοιαν ὁ πατὴρ Ἐλεάζαρος ἐκτείνας, περιέκλασεν τοὺς μαινομένους τῶν παθῶν κλύδωνας.
O priest, worthy of the priesthood! thou didst not pollute thy sacred teeth; nor make thy appetite, which had always embraced the clean and lawful, a partaker of profanity.
Greek · SeptuagintὮ ἄξιε τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἱερεῦ, οὐκ ἐμίανας τοὺς ἱεροὺς ὀδόντας, οὐδὲ τὴν θεοσέβειαν καὶ καθαρισμὸν χωρήσασαν γαστέρα ἐκοινώνησας μιεροφαγίᾳ·
O harmonizer with the law, and sage devoted to a divine life!
Greek · SeptuagintὮ σύμφωνε νόμου, καὶ φιλόσοφε θείου βίου.
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 unto death.
Greek · SeptuagintΤοίουτους δεῖ εἶναι τοὺς δημιουργοῦντας τὸν νόμον ἰδίῳ αἵματι, καὶ γενναίῳ ἱδρῶτι τοῖς μέχρι θανάτου πάθεσιν ὑπερασπίζοντας.
Thou, father, hast gloriously established our right government by thy endurance; and making of much account our service past, prevented its destruction, and, by thy deeds, hast made credible the words of philosophy.
Greek · SeptuagintΣὺ πάτερ, τὴν εὐνομίαν ἡμῶν διὰ τῶν ὑπομονῶν εἰς δόξαν ἐκύρωσας, καὶ τὴν ἁγιαστίαν σεμνολογήσας οὐ κατέλυσας, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιστοποίησας τοὺς τῆς φιλοσοφίας λὸγους.
O aged man of more power than tortures, elder more vigorous than fire, greatest king over the passions, Eleazar!
Greek · SeptuagintὮ βασάνων βιότερε γέρων, πυρὸς εὐτονώτερε πρεσβύτα, καὶ παθῶν μέγιστε βασιλεῦ Ἐλεάζαρ.
For as father Aaron, armed with a censer, hastening through the consuming fire, vanquished the flame-bearing angel,
Greek · SeptuagintὭσπερ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ Ἀαρὸν τῷ θυμιατηρίῳ κατθωπλισμένος, διὰ τοῦ ἐθνοπλήθου ἐπιτρέχων τὸν ἐμπυριστὴν ἐνίκησεν ἄγγελον.
so Eleazar, the descendant of Aaron, wasted away by the fire, did not give up his reasoning.
Greek · SeptuagintΟὕτως ὁ Ἀαρωνίδης Ἐλεάζαρος διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς ὑπερτηκόμενος οὐ μετετράπη τὸν λογισμόν.
And, what is most wonderful, though an old man, though the labours of his body were now spent, and his fibres were relaxed, and his sinews worn out, he recovered youth.
Greek · SeptuagintΚαίτοι τὸ θαυμασιώτατον, γέρων ὢν, λελυμένων μὲν ἤδη τῶν τοῦ σώματος πόνων, καὶ περιεχαλασμένων δὲ τῶν σαρκῶν, κεκμηκότων δὲ καὶ τῶν νεύρων, ἀνενέασεν.
By the spirit of reasoning, and the reasoning of Isaac, he rendered powerless the many-headed instrument.
Greek · SeptuagintΤῷ πνεύματι τοῦ λογισμοῦ, καὶ τῷ Ἰσακείῳ λογισμῷ τὴν πολυκέφαλον στρέβλαν ἠκύρωσεν.
O blessed old age, and reverend hoar head, and life obedient to the law, which the faithful seal of death perfected.
Greek · SeptuagintὮ μακαρίου γήρως, καὶ σεμνῆς πολιᾶς, καὶ βίου νομίμου, ὃν πιστὴ θανάτου σφραγὶς ἐτελείωσεν.
If, then, an old man, through religion, despised tortures even unto death, confessedly religious reasoning is ruler of the passions.
Greek · SeptuagintΕἰ δὲ τοίνυν γέρων τῶν μέχρι θανάτου βασάνων περιεφρόνησεν διʼ εὐσέβειαν, ὁμολογουμένως ἡγεμών ἐστιν τῶν παθῶν ὁ εὐσεβὴς λογισμός.
But perhaps some might say, It is not all who conquer passions, as all do not possess wise reasoning.
Greek · SeptuagintἼσως δʼ ἂν εἴποιέν τινες, τῶν παθῶν οὐ πάντες περικρατοῦσιν, ὅτι οὐδὲ πάντες φρόνιμον ἔχουσιν τὸν λογισμόν.
But they who have meditated upon religion with their whole heart, these alone can master the passions of the flesh:
Greek · SeptuagintἈλλʼ ὅσοι εὑσεβείας προνοοῦσιν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας, οὗτοι μόνοι δύνανται κρατεῖν τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς παθῶν·
they who believe that to God they die not; for, as our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, they live to God.
Greek · Septuagintοἱ πιστεύοντες, ὅτι Θεῷ οὐκ ἀποθνήσκουσιν, ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ πατριάρχαι ἡμῶν Ἁβραὰμ, Ἰσαὰκ, Ἰακὼβ, ζῶσι τῷ Θεῷ.
This circumstance, then, is by no means an objection, that some who have weak reasoning, are governed by their passions:
Greek · SeptuagintΟὐδὲν οὖν ἐναντιοῦται τὸ φαίνεσθαί τινας παθοκρατεῖσθαι διὰ τὸν ἀσθενῆ λογισμόν.
since what person, walking religiously by the whole rule of philosophy, and believing in God,
Greek · SeptuagintἘπεὶ τίς πρὸς ὅλον τὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας κανόνα εὐσεβῶς φιλοσοφῶν, καὶ πεπιστευκὼς Θεῷ,