3. And should any of them be unwilling to eat the accursed food, they were to be tortured on the wheel, and so killed.
4. And when many had been seized, a foremost man of the assembly, a Hebrew, by name Eleazar, a priest by family, by profession a lawyer, and advanced in years, and for this reason known to many of the king’s followers, was brought near to him.
5. And Antiochus seeing him, said,
6. I would counsel you, old man, before your 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.
7. For wherefore, since nature has conferred upon you the most excellent flesh of this animal, do you loathe it?
8. It seems senseless not to enjoy what is pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the boons of nature.
9. And you will be acting, I think, still more senselessly, if you follow vain conceits about the truth.