The Brothers Demonstrate the Strength of Reason

1 If, then, the seven brothers despised suffering even to the point of death, everyone must agree that religious reasoning is absolute master of the emotions. 2 For if they had been slaves to their emotions and eaten defiled food, we would say that they had been conquered by them. 3 But it is not so. Instead, by the reasoning that is praised by God, they mastered their emotions. 4 The supremacy of the mind cannot be overlooked, for it mastered both emotion and pain. 5 How, then, can we not acknowledge that these men mastered their emotions through right reasoning, since they did not turn back from the pains of fire?

The Brothers Encourage One Another

6 For just as towers at the entrance of a harbor break the threatening waves and make it calm for ships sailing into port, 7 so the seven-towered right reasoning of the young men fortified the harbor of piety and conquered the unruliness of the emotions. 8 For they formed a holy chorus of piety and encouraged one another, saying, 9 “Brothers, let’s die like brothers for the law. Let’s imitate the three young men in Assyria, who despised a furnace just as fierce. 10 Let’s not be cowards in showing our piety.” 11 One said, “Courage, brother,” and another, “Endure nobly.” 12 Another reminded them, “Remember where you come from, and by the hand of which father Isaac endured being offered as a sacrifice for the sake of piety.” 13 Each of them, all together, looking at one another cheerfully and very boldly, said, “Let’s consecrate ourselves with all our hearts to God, who gave us our souls, and let’s use our bodies to guard the law.⁠a 14 Let’s not fear the one who thinks he kills,⁠b 15 for a great struggle and danger to the soul lies in eternal torment for those who break the commandment of God. 16 Let’s arm ourselves, therefore, with the mastery over the emotions that divine reasoning gives. 17 For if we die like this, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will receive us,⁠c and all our ancestors will praise us.” 18 As each of the brothers was dragged away, those who were left said, “Brother, don’t disgrace us or betray our brothers who have died before us.” 19 You are not unaware of the affection of brotherhood, which the divine and all-wise Providence has passed on through fathers to their children and planted in them through the mother’s womb. 20 There brothers stay for the same length of time, are formed over the same period, grow from the same blood, and are brought to maturity through the same life. 21 They are born after the same length of time and drink milk from the same source, and in those embraces brother-loving souls are nourished together. 22 And they grow stronger through being raised together, through daily companionship, through the rest of their education, and through our training in the law of God. 23 Since brotherly love is so naturally strong, the seven brothers felt an even stronger love for one another. 24 For they had been educated in the same law, trained in the same virtues, and raised together in a just life, and so they loved one another all the more. 25 Their shared zeal for what is noble and good increased their goodwill and harmony toward one another, 26 for together with piety it made their brotherly love even more precious to them. 27 And yet, although nature, companionship, and virtuous habits increased their brotherly affection, those who were left endured for the sake of piety the sight of their brothers being abused and tortured to death.