4 Maccabees 16:1-6

1 If, then, a woman, advanced in years and mother of seven sons, endured seeing her children tortured to death, it must be admitted that devout reason is sovereign over the emotions.
2 Thus I have demonstrated not only that men have ruled over the emotions, but also that a woman has despised the fiercest tortures.
3 The lions surrounding Daniel were not so savage, nor was the raging fiery furnace of Mishael so intensely hot, as was her innate parental love, inflamed as she saw her seven sons tortured in such varied ways.
4 But the mother quenched so many and such great emotions by devout reason.
5 Consider this also: If this woman, though a mother, had been fainthearted, she would have mourned over them and perhaps spoken as follows:
6 "O how wretched am I and many times unhappy! After bearing seven children, I am now the mother of none!
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.