1 O reasoning of the sons, lord over the emotions, and religion more desirable to a mother than children! (WEB) 2 The mother, when two things were set before her, religion and the safety of her seven sons for a time, on the conditional promise of a tyrant, (WEB) 3 rather elected the religion which according to God preserves to eternal life. (WEB) 4 In what way can I describe ethically the affections of parents toward their children, the resemblance of soul and of form impressed into the small type of a child in a wonderful manner, especially through the greater sympathy of mothers with the feelings of those born of them! (WEB) 5 For by how much mothers are by nature weak in disposition and prolific in offspring, by so much the fonder they are of children. (WEB) 6 Of all mothers, the mother of the seven was the fondest of children, who in seven childbirths had deeply engendered love toward them. (WEB) 7 Through her many pains undergone in connection with each one, she was compelled to feel sympathy with them; (WEB) 8 yet, through fear of God, she neglected the temporary salvation of her children. (WEB) 9 Not only so, but on account of the excellent disposition to the law, her maternal affection toward them was increased. (WEB) 10 For they were both just and temperate, and courageous, high-minded, fond of their kindred, and so fond of their mother that even to death they obeyed her by observing the law. (WEB) 11 Yet, though there were so many circumstances connected with love of children to draw on a mother to sympathy, in the case of none of them were the various tortures able to pervert her principle. (WEB) 12 But she inclined each one separately and all together to death for religion. (WEB) 13 O holy nature and parental feeling, and reward of bringing up children, and unconquerable maternal affection! (WEB) 14 At the racking and roasting of each one of them, the observant mother was prevented by religion from changing. (WEB) 15 She saw her children’s flesh dissolving around the fire, and their extremities quivering on the ground, and the flesh of their heads dropped forward down to their beards, like masks. (WEB) 16 O you mother, who was tried at this time with bitterer pangs than those at birth! (WEB) 17 O you only woman who have produced perfect holiness! (WEB) 18 Your firstborn, expiring, didn’t turn you, nor the second, looking miserable in his torments, nor the third, breathing out his soul. (WEB) 19 You didn’t weep when you saw each of their eyes looking sternly at their tortures, and their nostrils foreboding death! (WEB) 20 When you saw children’s flesh heaped upon children’s flesh that had been torn off, heads decapitated upon heads, dead falling upon the dead, and a choir of children turned through torture into a burying g… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 15:1–32
Semantically similar passages
4 Maccabees 16:12–14
12 Nor did she divert any of them from death, nor grieve for them as for the dead. (WEB) 13 But as one possessed with an adamant mind, and as one bringing forth again her full number of sons to immortality, she rather urged them to death on behalf of religion. (WEB) 14 O woman, sol… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 17:2–4
2 O you mother, who together with seven children destroyed the violence of the tyrant, and rendered void his wicked intentions, and exhibited the nobleness of faith! (WEB) 3 For you, like a house bravely built on the pillar of your children, bore the shock of tortures w… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 16:1–2
1 If, then, even a woman, and that an aged one, and the mother of seven children, endured to see her children’s torments even to death, it must be admitted that religious reasoning is master even of the emotions. (WEB) 2 I have proved, then, that not only men have obtai… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 16:4–6
4 But with the reasoning of religion the mother quenched emotions so great and powerful. (WEB) 5 For we must consider also this: that, had the woman been faint hearted, as being their mother, she would have lamented over them, and perhaps might have spoken thus: (WEB) 6 “Ah! I a… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 14:19–20
19 Even bees, at the season of honey-making, attack all who approach, and pierce with their sting, as with a sword, those who draw near their hive, and repel them even to death. (WEB) 20 But sympathy with her children didn’t turn away the mother of the young men, who had… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 14:11–13
11 Don’t think it wonderful that reasoning ruled over those men in their torments, when even a woman’s mind despised more manifold pains. (WEB) 12 For the mother of those seven youths endured the rackings of each of her children. (WEB) 13 Consider how comprehensive is the love of o… (WEB)
4 Maccabees 17:6–8
6 For your bearing of children was after the manner of a child of Abraham. (WEB) 7 If it were lawful for us to paint as on a tablet the religion of your story, the spectators wouldn’t shudder at seeing the mother of seven children enduring for the sake of religion vario… (WEB)
2 Maccabees 7:19–21
19 but don’t think that you will be unpunished, having tried to fight against God!” (WEB) 20 But above all, the mother was marvelous and worthy of honorable memory; for when she watched seven sons perishing within the space of one day, she bore the sight with a good coura… (WEB)
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