3
If any were not willing to eat defiling food, they were to be broken on the wheel and killed.
4
And when many persons had been rounded up, one man, Eleazar by name, leader of the flock, was brought before the king. He was a man of priestly family, learned in the law, advanced in age, and known to many in the tyrant's court because of his philosophy.
5
When Antiochus saw him he said,
6
"Before I begin to torture you, old man, I would advise you to save yourself by eating pork,
7
for I respect your age and your gray hairs. Although you have had them for so long a time, it does not seem to me that you are a philosopher when you observe the religion of the Jews.
8
Why, when nature has granted it to us, should you abhor eating the very excellent meat of this animal?
9
It is senseless not to enjoy delicious things that are not shameful, and wrong to spurn the gifts of nature.
10
It seems to me that you will do something even more senseless if, by holding a vain opinion concerning the truth, you continue to despise me to your own hurt.
11
Will you not awaken from your foolish philosophy, dispel your futile reasonings, adopt a mind appropriate to your years, philosophize according to the truth of what is beneficial,
12
and have compassion on your old age by honoring my humane advice?
13
For consider this, that if there is some power watching over this religion of yours, it will excuse you from any transgression that arises out of compulsion."