Category Archives: 4 Maccabees

1 And when he had died, disfigured in his torments, the fifth leaped forward, and said, 2 I intend not, O tyrant, to get excused from the torment which is in behalf of virtue. 3 But I have come of mine own accord, that by the death of me, you may owe heavenly vengeance a […]

1 When he, too, had undergone blessed martyrdom, and died in the caldron into which he had been thrown, the seventh, the youngest of all, came forward: 2 whom the tyrant pitying, though he had been dreadfully reproached by his brethren, 3 seeing him already encompassed with chains, had him brought nearer, and endeavoured to […]

1 If then, the seven brethren despised troubles even to death, it is confessed on all sides that righteous reasoning is absolute master over the passions. 2 For just as if, had they as slaves to the passions, eaten of the unholy, we should have said that they had been conquered by the; 3 now […]

1 And more that this, they even urged them on to this ill-treatment; so that they not only despised pains themselves, but they even got the better of their affections of brotherly love. 2 O reasonings more royal than a king, and freer than freemen! 3 Sacred and harmonious concert of the seven brethren as […]

1 O reasoning of the sons, lord over the passions, and religion more desirable to a mother than progeny! 2 The mother, when two things were set before here, religion and the safety of her seven sons for a time, on the conditional promise of a tyrant, 3 rather elected the religion which according to […]

1 If, then, even a woman, and that an aged one, and the mother of seven children, endured to see her children’s torments even to death, confessedly religious reasoning is master even of the passions. 2 I have proved, then, that not only men have obtained the mastery of their passions, but also that a […]

1 And some of the spearbearers said, that when she herself was about to be seized for the purpose of being put to death, she threw herself upon the pile, rather than they should touch her person. 2 O you mother, who together with seven children did destroy the violence of the tyrant, and render […]

1 O Israelitish children, descendants of the seed of Abraham, obey this law, and in every way be religious. 2 Knowing that religious reasoning is lord of the passions, and those not only inward but outward. 3 When those persons giving up their bodies to pains for the sake of religion, were not only admired […]