4
Not so has ever a city, when besieged, held out against many and various machines, as did that holy man, when his pious soul was tried with the fiery trial of tortures and rackings, move his besiegers through the religious reasoning that shielded him.
5
For father Eleazar, projecting his disposition, broke the raging waves of the passions as with a jutting promontory.
6
O priest worthy of the priesthood! thou didst not pollute thy sacred teeth; nor make thine appetite, which had always embraced the clean and lawful, a partaker of profanity.
7
O harmonizer with the law, and sage devoted to a divine life!
8
Of such a character ought those to be who perform the duties of the law at the risk of their own blood, and defend it with generous sweat by sufferings even unto death.
9
Thou, father, hast gloriously established our right government by thy endurance; and making of much account our service past, prevented its destruction, and, by thy deeds, hast made credible the words of philosophy.
10
O aged man of more power than tortures, elder more vigorous than fire, greatest king over the passions, Eleazar!
11
For as father Aaron, armed with a censer, hastening through the consuming fire, vanquished the flame-bearing angel,
12
so, Eleazar, the descendant of Aaron, wasted away by the fire, did not give up his reasoning.
13
And, what is most wonderful, though an old man, though the labours of his body were now spent, and his fibres were relaxed, and his sinews worn out, he recovered youth.
14
By the spirit of reasoning, and the reasoning of Isaac, he rendered powerless the many-headed instrument.