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4 Maccabees 13
4 Maccabees 13
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1
If then, the seven kindred despised troubles even to death, it is admitted on all sides that righteous reasoning is absolute master over the emotions.
2
For just as if they had eaten of the unholy as slaves to the emotions, we would have said that they had been conquered by them.
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Now it is not so. But by means of the reasoning which is praised by God, they mastered their emotions.
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It is impossible to overlook the leadership of reflection, for it gained the victory over both emotions and troubles.
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How, then, can we avoid according to these men mastery of emotion through right reasoning, since they didn’t withdraw from the pains of fire?
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For just as by means of towers projecting in front of harbors men break the threatening waves, and thus assure a still course to vessels entering port,
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so that seven-towered right-reasoning of the young men, securing the harbour of religion, conquered the tempest of emotions.
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For having arranged a holy choir of piety, they encouraged one another, saying,
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“Brothers, may we die brotherly for the law. Let us imitate the three young men in Assyria who despised the equally afflicting furnace.
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Let’s not be cowards in the manifestation of piety.”
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One said, “Courage, brother!” and another, “Nobly endure!”
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Another said, “Remember of what stock you are;” and by the hand of our father Isaac endured to be slain for the sake of piety.
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One and all, looking at each other serene and confident, said, “Let’s sacrifice with all our heart our souls to God who gave them, and employ our bodies for the keeping of the law.
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Let’s not fear him who thinks he kills;
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for great is the trial of soul and danger of eternal torment laid up for those who transgress the commandment of God.
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Let’s arm ourselves, therefore, in the self-control, which is divine reasoning.
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If we suffer like this, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will receive us, and all the fathers will commend us.
18
As each one of the kindred was hauled away, the rest exclaimed, “Don’t disgrace us, O brother, nor falsify those who died before you!”
19
Now you are not ignorant of the charm of brotherhood, which the Divine and all wise Providence has imparted through fathers to children, and has engendered through the mother’s womb.
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In which these brothers having remained an equal time, and having been formed for the same period, and been increased by the same blood, and having been perfected through the same principle of life,
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and having been brought forth at equal intervals, and having sucked milk from the same springs, hence their brotherly souls are reared up lovingly together,
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and increase the more powerfully by reason of this simultaneous rearing, and by daily companionship, and by other education, and exercise in the law of God.
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Brotherly love being thus sympathetically constituted, the seven kindred had a more sympathetic mutual harmony.
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For being educated in the same law, and practicing the same virtues, and reared up in a just course of life, they increased this harmony with each other.
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For the same ardor for what is right and honorable increased their goodwill and harmony toward each other.
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For it acting along with religion, made their brotherly feeling more desirable to them.
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And yet, although nature, companionship, and virtuous morals increased their brotherly love, those who were left endured to see their kindred, who were mistreated for their religion, tortured even to death.
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