1
Furthermore, they encouraged them to face the torture, so that they not only despised their agonies, but also mastered the emotions of brotherly love.
2
O reason, more royal than kings and freer than the free!
3
O sacred and harmonious concord of the seven brothers on behalf of religion!
4
None of the seven youths proved coward or shrank from death,
5
but all of them, as though running the course toward immortality, hastened to death by torture.
6
Just as the hands and feet are moved in harmony with the guidance of the mind, so those holy youths, as though moved by an immortal spirit of devotion, agreed to go to death for its sake.
7
O most holy seven, brothers in harmony! For just as the seven days of creation move in choral dance around religion,
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.