Search & Explore

O Israelitish children, descendants of the seed of Abraham , obey this law, and in every way be religious. Knowing that religious reasoning is lord of the passions, and those not only inward but outward. When those persons giving up their bodies to pains for the sake of religion, ... Mentions: Abram/Abraham , Abel , Cain , Isaac , Joseph , Jerusalem .

As I am going to demonstrate a most philosophical proposition, namely, that religious reasoning is absolute master of the passions, I would willingly advise you to give the utmost heed to philosophy. For reason is necessary to every one as a step to science: and more especially d... Mentions: Eleazar .

And what wonder? if the lusts of the soul, after participation with what is beautiful, are frustrated, on this ground, therefore, the temperate Joseph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of sense. For, although young, and ripe for sexual int... Mentions: Joseph , Moses , Jacob/Israel , Simeon , Levi .

The argument is exceedingly ridiculous: for reasoning does not appear to bear sway over its own affections, but over those of the body, in such a way as that any one of you may not be able to root out desire, but reasoning will enable you to avoid being enslaved to it. One may no... Mentions: David , Asia .

For a certain man named Simon , who was in opposition to Onias, who once held the high priesthood for life, and was an honorable and good man, after that by slandering him in every way, he could not injure him with the people, went away as an exile, with the intention of betraying... Mentions: Simon , Syria , Phoenicia , Cilicia , Jerusalem , Egypt .

The tyrant Antiochus, therefore, sitting in public state with his assessors upon a certain lofty place, with his armed troops standing in a circle around him, commanded his spearbearers to seize every one of the Hebrews , and to compel them to taste swine’s flesh, and things offer... Mentions: Eleazar .

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. And first, they stripped the old man, adorned as he was with the comeliness of piety. Then tying back his arms and hands, the... Mentions: Eleazar, Abram/Abraham .

The reasoning of our father Eleazar , like a first-rate pilot, steering the vessel of piety in the sea of passions, and flouted by the threats of the tyrant, and overwhelmed with the breakers of torture, in no way shifted the rudder of piety till it sailed into the harbour of vict... Mentions: Eleazar , Aaron , Isaac , Abram/Abraham , Jacob/Israel .

Then, indeed, vehemently swayed with passion, he commanded to bring others of the adult Hebrews , and if they would eat of the unclean thing, to let them go when they had eaten; but if they objected, to torment them more grievously. The tyrant having given this charge, seven breth...

Why delay you, O tyrant? for we are readier to die than to transgress the injunctions of our fathers. And we should be disgracing our fathers if we did not obey the law, and take knowledge for our guide. O tyrant, counsellor of law-breaking, do not, hating us as you do, pity us m... Mentions: Eleazar .

Now this one, having endured this praiseworthy death, the third was brought along, and exhorted by many to taste and save his life. But he cried out and said, Know you⌃ not, that the father of those who are dead, became the father of me also; and that the same mother bare me; and...

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

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: whom the tyrant pitying, though he had been dreadfully reproached by his brethren, seeing him already encompassed with chains, had...

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. 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 th... Mentions: Isaac , Abram/Abraham , Jacob/Israel , Assyria .

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. O reasonings more royal than a king, and freer than freemen! Sacred and harmonious concert of th... Mentions: Abram/Abraham .

O reasoning of the sons, lord over the passions, and religion more desirable to a mother than progeny! 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, rather elected the religion which... Mentions: Abram/Abraham , Noah .

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. I have proved, then, that not only men have obtained the mastery of their passions... Mentions: Daniel , Eleazar , Abram/Abraham , Isaac , Jacob/Israel .

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. O you mother, who together with seven children did destroy the violence of the tyrant,... Mentions: Abram/Abraham , Eleazar , Moses , Jacob/Israel .

And Antiochus son of Demetrius the king sent letters from the isles of the sea to Simon the priest and governor of the Jews, and to all the nation; and the contents thereof were after this manner: King Antiochus to Simon the chief priest and governor, and to the nation of the J... Mentions: Simon, Jerusalem , Dor , Rome , Samos , Pamphylia .

AND it came to pass, after that Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip, who came out of the land of Chittim, and struck Darius king of the Persians and Medes, it came to pass, after he had struck him, that he reigned in his stead, in former time, over Greece . And he fought... Mentions: Jacob/Israel , Judah , David , Greece , Rome , Jerusalem , Egypt .

In those days rose up Mattathias the son of John , the son of Simeon , a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem ; and he lived at Modin. And he had five sons, John , who was surnamed Gaddis; Simon , who was called Thassi; Mentions: Mattathias , Simeon , Simon , Judas , Eleazar , Jerusalem , Zimri , Egypt .

And his son Judas , who was called Maccabaeus, rose up in his stead. And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that clave to his father, and they fought with gladness the battle of Israel . And he got his people great glory, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girde... Mentions: Judas , Jacob/Israel , Judah , Samaria , Syria , Persia , Euphrates , Egypt .

And Gorgias took five thousand footmen, and a thousand chosen horse, and the army removed by night, that it might fall upon the army of the Jews and strike them suddenly: and the men of the citadel were his guides. And Judas heard thereof, and removed, he and the valiant men, tha... Mentions: Judas , Jacob/Israel , David , Jonathan , Saul , Emmaus , Azotus , Antioch 1 .

And it came to pass, when the Gentiles round about heard that the altar was built, and the sanctuary dedicated as aforetime, they were exceeding angry. And they took counsel to destroy the race of Jacob that was in the midst of them, and they began to kill and destroy among the p... Mentions: Jacob/Israel , Judas , Esau ( Edom ), Ammon , Simon , Esau, Jazer , Gilead , Galilee .

And king Antiochus was journeying through the upper countries; and he heard say, that in Elymais in Persia there was a city renowned for riches, for silver and gold; and that the temple which was in it was rich exceedingly, and that therein were golden shields, and breastplates, ... Mentions: Judah , Jacob/Israel , Judas , Eleazar , Persia , Babylon , Jerusalem , Media , Antioch 1 .

In the hundred and one and fifties year Demetrius the son of Seleucus came forth from Rome , and went up with a few men to a city by the sea, and reigned there. And it came to pass, when he would go into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army laid hands on Antioch ... Mentions: Jacob/Israel , Judas , Judah , Aaron , David , Rome , Jerusalem , Syria .

And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans , that they are valiant men, and have pleasure in all that join themselves to them, and make amity with all such as come to them, and that they are valiant men. And they told him of their wars and exploits which they do among the Gauls, an... Mentions: Judas , Eleazar , Jacob/Israel , Spain , Asia , India , Media , Greece .

And Demetrius heard that Nicanor was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing of his army with them: and they went by the way that leads to Gilgal , and encamped against Mesaloth, which is i... Mentions: Judah , Judas , Jonathan , Simon , Jacob/Israel , Gilgal 1 , Jerusalem , Berea , Azotus , Jordan .

And in the hundred and sixties year Alexander Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus, went up and took possession of Ptolemais : and they received him, and he reigned there. And king Demetrius heard thereof, and he gathered together exceeding great forces, and went forth to meet him in ... Mentions: Jonathan , Judah , Jacob/Israel , Simon , Ptolemais , Jerusalem , Samaria , Galilee , Egypt .