14
"Eleazar, why are you so irrationally destroying yourself through these evil things?
15
We will set before you some cooked meat; save yourself by pretending to eat pork."
16
But Eleazar, as though more bitterly tormented by this counsel, cried out:
17
"Never may we, the children of Abraham, think so basely that out of cowardice we feign a role unbecoming to us!
18
For it would be irrational if having lived in accordance with truth up to old age and having maintained in accordance with law the reputation of such a life, we should now change our course
19
and ourselves become a pattern of impiety to the young by setting them an example in the eating of defiling food.
20
It would be shameful if we should survive for a little while and during that time be a laughingstock to all for our cowardice,
21
and be despised by the tyrant as unmanly by not contending even to death for our divine law.
22
Therefore, O children of Abraham, die nobly for your religion!
23
And you, guards of the tyrant, why do you delay?"
24
When they saw that he was so courageous in the face of the afflictions, and that he had not been changed by their compassion, the guards brought him to the fire.