4 Maccabees 5

Brentoncommanded his spearbearers to seize every one of the Hebrews, and to compel them to taste swine's flesh, and things offered to idols.

BrentonAnd should any of them be unwilling to eat the accursed food, they were to be tortured on the wheel, and so killed.

BrentonI would counsel thee, old man, before thy tortures begin, to taste the swine's flesh, and save your life; for I feel respect for your age and hoary head, which since you have had so long, you appear to me to be no philosopher in retaining the superstition of the Jews.

BrentonFor wherefore, since nature has conferred upon you the most excellent flesh of this animal, do you loathe it?

BrentonIt seems senseless not to enjoy what is pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the boons of nature.

BrentonAnd you will, moreover, be despising me to your own punishment.

BrentonWill you not awake from your trifling philosophy? and give up the folly of your notions; and, regaining understanding worthy of your age, search into the truth of an expedient course?

Brentonand, reverencing my kindly admonition, have pity upon your own years?

BrentonFor, bear in mind, that if there be any power which watches over this religion of yours, it will pardon you for all transgressions of the law which you commit through compulsion.

BrentonAnd having received power to speak, he began thus to deliver himself:

BrentonWe, O Antiochus, who are persuaded that we live under a divine law, consider no compulsion to be so forcible as obedience to that law;

Brentonwherefore we consider that we ought not in any point to transgress the law.

BrentonAnd indeed, were our law (as you suppose) not truly divine, and if we wrongly think it divine, we should have no right even in that case to destroy our sense of religion.

BrentonThink not eating the unclean, then, a trifling offence.

BrentonFor transgression of the law, whether in small or great matters, is of equal moment;

Brentonfor in either case the law is equally slighted.

BrentonYet it instructs us in temperance, so that we are superior to all pleasures and lusts; and it exercises us in manliness, so that we cheerfully undergo every grievance.

BrentonAnd it instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealings we render what is due; and it teaches us piety, so that we worship the one only God becomingly.

BrentonWherefore it is that we eat not the unclean; for believing that the law was established by God, we are convinced that the Creator of the world, in giving his laws, sympathises with our nature.

BrentonThose things which are convenient to our souls, he has directed us to eat; but those which are repugnant to them, he has interdicted.

Brentonbut thou shalt not have this cause of laughter against me;

Brentonnor will I transgress the sacred oaths of my forefathers to keep the law.

BrentonNo, not if you pluck out my eyes, and consume my entrails.

BrentonI am not so old, and void of manliness, but that my rational powers are youthful in defence of my religion.

BrentonI will not so compassionate my old age, as on my account to break the law of my country.

BrentonI will not belie thee, O law, my instructor! or forsake thee, O beloved self-control.

BrentonI will not put thee to shame, O philosopher Reason; or deny thee, O honoured priesthood, and science of the law.

BrentonMouth! thou shalt not pollute my old age, nor the full stature of a perfect life.

BrentonFor over the ungodly thou shalt tyrannize; but thou shalt not lord it over my thoughts about religion, either by thy arguments, or through deeds.