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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 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 .

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...

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...

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 .

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 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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

And John went up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebaeus was doing. And Simon called his two oldest sons, Judas and John , and said to them, I and my brethren and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth, even to this day; and things have p... Mentions: Simon, Judas , Jacob/Israel , Mattathias , Kidron , Azotus , Jericho , Jerusalem .

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 .

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 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 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 .

Now Philopater, on learning from those who came back that Antiochus had made himself master of the places which belonged to himself, sent orders to all his footmen and horsemen, took with him his sister Arsinoe, and marched out as far as the parts of Raphia, where Antiochus and h... Mentions: Jerusalem .

And in the hundred and seventy and second year king Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media , to get him help, that he might fight against Tryphon. And Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media , heard that Demetrius was come into his borders, and he sent one of hi... Mentions: Simon , Jacob/Israel , Jonathan , Judas , Mattathias , Media, Persia , Joppa , Rome , Jerusalem .

Now after a space of three years tidings were brought to Judas and his company that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having sailed into the haven of Tripolis with a mighty host and a fleet, had gotten possession of the country, having made away with Antiochus and Lysias his guardi... Mentions: Judas , Simon , Mattathias , Jerusalem , Antioch 1 .

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 .

But Judas , who is also called Maccabaeus, and they that were with him, making their way privily into the villages, called to them their kinsfolk; and taking to them such as had continued in the Jews’ religion, gathered together as many as six thousand. And they called upon the L... Mentions: Judas , Simon , Joseph , Jonathan , Phoenicia , Babylon , Jerusalem , Antioch 1 .

In the hundred forty and ninth year tidings were brought to Judas and his company that Antiochus Eupator was coming with great multitudes against Judaea, and with him Lysias his guardian and chancellor, each having a Greek force, a hundred and ten thousand footmen, and five tho... Mentions: Judas , Antioch 1 , Ptolemais .

Now about this time Antiochus made his second inroad into Egypt . And it so befell that throughout all the city, for the space of almost forty days, there appeared in the midst of the sky horsemen in swift motion, wearing robes inwrought with gold and carrying spears, equipped i... Mentions: Ammonites , Judas , Egypt , Antioch 1 , Jerusalem .

And not long after this the king sent forth an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers, and not to live after the laws of God; and also to pollute the sanctuary in Jerusalem , and to call it by the name of Jupiter Olympius, and to call the ... Mentions: Eleazar , Athens , Jerusalem .