12
As he said these things, he gave orders for the instruments to be brought forward in order to frighten them into eating the polluting food.
13
The guards laid out the instruments in front of them: wheels and machines for pulling joints apart, racks, clubs, and instruments for applying heavy tension, grills and extremely large frying pans, tools to crush fingers, iron claws, wedges, and burning coals. The tyrant continued:
14
"Young men, be afraid. Whatever justice you respect will have mercy on you, since you are being forced to break the Law."
15
The brothers heard the promises and saw the terrible instruments, but they weren't afraid. Instead, they resisted the tyrant's arguments with their own philosophy and defeated the power of his tyranny through clear thinking.
16
But let's think about what arguments they might have used if they had been cowardly and unmanly. Wouldn't they have argued like this?