e might imagine it would have done, but
they then held fast the same resolution, without wavering, which they
had upon the hearing of Eleazar's speech, while yet every one of them
still retained the natural passion of love to themselves and their
families, because the reasoning they went upon appeared to them to be
very just, even with regard to those that were dearest to them; for the
husbands tenderly embraced their wives, and took their children into
their arms, and gave the longest parting kisses to them, with tears
in their eyes. Yet at the same time did they complete what they had
resolved on, as if they had been executed by the hands of strangers; and
they had nothing else for their comfort but the necessity they were in
of doing this execution, to avoid that prospect they had of the miseries
they were to suffer from their enemies. Nor was there at length any
one of these men found that scrupled to act their part in this terrible
execution, but every one of them despatched his dearest relations.
Miserable men indeed were they! whose distress forced them to slay their
own wives and children with their own hands, as the lightest of those
evils that were before them. So they being not able to bear the grief
they were under for what they had done any longer, and esteeming it an
injury to those they had slain, to live even the shortest space of time
after them, they presently laid all they had upon a heap, and set fire
to it. They then chose ten men by lot out of them to slay all the rest;
every one of whom laid himself down by his wife and children on the
ground, and threw his arms about them, and they offered their necks to
the stroke of those who by lot executed that melancholy office; and when
these ten had, without fear, slain them all, they made the same rule for
casting lots for themselves, that he whose lot it was should first kill
the other nine, and after all should kill himself. Accordingly, all
these had courage sufficient to be no way behind one another in doing
or suffering; so, for a conclusion, the nine offered their necks to the
executioner, and he who was the last of all took a view of all the
other bodies, lest perchance some or other among so many that were slain
should want his assistance to be quite despatched, and when he perceived
that they were all slain, he set fire to the palace, and with the great
force of his hand ran his sword entirely through himself, and fell
down dead near to his own rel