CHAPTER 6
1 But not after much time, the king sent an eld [or old] man of Antiochia, which should constrain Jews, that they should translate [or transfer] them-selves from laws of fathers, and of God;
2 also he should defoul the temple in Jerusalem, and should call it of Jupiter Olympus, and in Gerizim, as they were, that inhabited the place, of Jupiter Hospitality.
3 Forsooth the falling in of evils was worst and grievous to all;
4 for why the temple was full of lechery and gluttony of heathen men, and of men doing lechery with whores, and women bare in them-selves to hallowed houses, at their own will, bearing within those things which it was not leaveful.
5 Also the altar was full of unleaveful things, which were forbidden by laws.
6 Soothly neither sabbaths were kept, neither solemn days of fathers were kept, neither simply, neither openly, [or plainly], any man acknowl-edged him a Jew.
7 Forsooth they were led with bitter need in the day of the king’s birth to sacrifices. And when holy things of Liber, that is Bacchus, either a false god, which the heathen men called god of wine, were made solemnly, [or were hallowed], they were crowned with ivy, and were constrained for to go about with Liber.
8 Soothly the doom went out into the next cities of heathen men, by Ptolemais procuring, that in like manner also they should do against Jews, that they should do sacrifice;
9 soothly that they should slay them, that would not pass to the ordinances of heathen men. Therefore it was to see wretchedness [or it was wretched-ness for to see these things].
10 For why two women were accused, that they had circumcised their children; and when they had led them about openly by the city, with [the] infants hanged at their breasts, they casted [them] down by the walls.
11 Forsooth other men went together to the next dens, and hallowed privily the day of sabbath, when they were showed to Philip, they were burnt in flames, for they dreaded for religion and observance, for to bear help to themselves with hand.
12 Therefore I beseech them, that shall read this book, that they dread not for adversities; but areckon they those things that befell to be not to perishing, but to [or for] amending of our kin.
13 For why for to not suffer by much time sinners for to do of sentence, [or doom], but anon for to give venge-ances, is the showing of great benefice.
14 For why, not as in other nations, the Lord abideth patiently, that when the day of doom shall come, he punish them in plenty of sins, so and in us he ordaineth,
15 that when our sins be turned about into end, so at the last he avenge on us.
16 For which thing soothly he never removeth his mercy from us; but he chastiseth his people, and forsaketh not in adversities.
17 But these things be said of us [or be said to you] in few words to the admonishing of men reading; now forsooth it is to come to the telling.
18 Therefore Eleazar, one of the former of the scribes, or men of law, and a man waxed in age, and fair in cheer, was compelled, yawning with open mouth, for to eat swine’s flesh.
19 And he embraced, or chose, more glorious death, than hateful life, and willfully went before to torment.
20 Forsooth he beheld how it behooved for to go, and suffered patiently, and ordained for to not do unleaveful things for the love of life.
21 Soothly these that stood nigh, were moved altogether by wicked mercy, for eld [or old] friendship of the man, and they took him privily, and prayed that fleshes should be brought, which it was leaveful to him for to eat, that he were feigned to have eaten, as the king commanded, of the flesh of sacrifice;
22 that by this deed he should be delivered from death; and for eld [or old] friendship of the man, they did this humanity, or courtesy, in him.
23 And he began for to think the worthy excellence of age, and of his eld age, and the free-born hoariness of nobility, and of best living from child[hood]; and by [or after] the ordinances of holy law, and made of God, he answered soon, saying, that he would be sent before into hell.
24 For he said, It is not worthy to our age for to feign, that many young men deem, that Eleazar of fourscore year and ten, hath passed to the life of aliens,
25 and that they be deceived by my feigning, and that for little time of corruptible life, and that by this I get spot and execration, or cursedness, to mine eld age.
26 For why though in present time I be delivered from torments of men, but neither quick, neither dead, I shall not escape the hand of [the] Almighty.
27 Wherefore in passing the life strongly, that is, in dying for the law of God, soothly I shall appear worthy of age;
28 forsooth I shall leave strong ensample to young men, if I use perfectly honest death with ready will, and strongly for the worthiest and holiest laws. When these things were said, anon he was drawn to torment.
29 Forsooth these that led him, and a little before were milder, were turned into wrath, for the words said of him, which they deemed brought forth by pride of heart.
30 But when he should be slain with wounds, he sorrowed inwardly, and said, Lord, that hast holy knowing, openly thou knowest, that when I might be delivered from death, I suffer hard sorrows of body; forsooth by soul willfully I suffer these things, for thy dread.
31 And soothly this man on [or in] this manner departed from life; not only leaving the mind of his death to young men, but and to all the folk, to ensample of virtue and strength.