inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and
conversation from a child; and he answered without delay, according to
the ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather
be sent into the other world.

6:24. For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby
many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and
ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:

6:25. And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a
corruptible life, should be deceived, and hereby I should bring a stain
and a curse upon my old age.

6:26. For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the
punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty
neither alive nor dead.

6:27. Wherefore, by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew
myself worthy of my old age:

6:28. And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a
ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most
venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith
carried to execution.

6:29. And they that led him, and had been a little before more mild,
were changed to wrath for the words he had spoken, which they thought
were uttered out of arrogancy.

6:30. But when he was now ready to die with the stripes, he groaned: and
said: O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest manifestly that
whereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer grievous pains in
body: but in soul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear
thee.

6:31. Thus did this man die, leaving not only to young men, but also to
the whole nation, the memory of his death, for an example of virtue and
fortitude.

2 Machabees Chapter 7

The glorious martyrdom of the seven brethren and their mother.

7:1. It came to pass also, that seven brethren, together with their
mother, were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine's flesh
against the law, for which end they were tormented with whips and
scourges.

7:2. But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou
ask, or learn of us? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the
laws of God, received from our fathers.

7:3. Then the king being angry, commanded fryingpans and brazen caldrons
to be made hot: which forthwith being heated,

7:4. He commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had spoken first:
and the skin of his head being drawn off, to