The Mother's Reason Governs Her Grief

1 If, then, a woman, an old woman and the mother of seven children, endured watching her children tortured to death, it must be acknowledged that religious reasoning is absolute master of the emotions. 2 So I have shown not only that men have mastered their emotions, but also that a woman despised the greatest tortures. 3 The lions around Daniel were not as savage, nor was the furnace of Mishael burning as fiercely, as the love for her children that burned within her as she watched her seven sons tortured in so many ways. 4 But by the reasoning of piety the mother put out emotions so many and so great. 5 For we must also consider this: if the woman had been fainthearted, even though she was their mother, she would have mourned over them, and perhaps would have spoken like this: 6 “How wretched I am, and how many times miserable! I gave birth to seven sons and am now the mother of none. 7 Seven pregnancies for nothing, seven useless ten-month waits, fruitless nursing, and miserable breastfeeding! 8 For nothing, my sons, did I endure so many birth pains for you and the harder worries of raising you. 9 My sons, some of you unmarried, and others married for nothing! I will never see your children, or be called grandmother and be counted happy. 10 I, who had many beautiful children, am a widow, alone, with so much to grieve! 11 And when I die, I will have no son to bury me.”

The Mother Encourages Her Sons

12 But the holy and God-fearing mother did not mourn any of them with such a lament, nor did she try to turn any of them away from death, nor did she grieve for them as they died. 13 Instead, as though she had a mind of steel and were giving birth to her full number of sons again into immortality, she pleaded with them and urged them on to death for the sake of piety. 14 Mother, soldier of God for the sake of piety, old woman, you defeated even a tyrant by your endurance, and were found stronger than a man in deeds and in words. 15 For when you were arrested with your children, you stood and watched Eleazar being tortured, and said to your children in the Hebrew language, 16 “My children, noble is the contest to which you are called to bear witness for the nation. Fight eagerly for the law of our ancestors. 17 For it would be shameful if this old man endured pain for the sake of piety while you young men were terrified by the tortures. 18 Remember that it is through God that you have had a share in the world and have enjoyed life, 19 and so you ought to endure every hardship for God’s sake. 20 For his sake our father Abraham hurried to sacrifice his son Isaac, the father of our nation, and when Isaac saw his father’s hand coming down on him with the sword, he did not flinch.⁠a 21 The righteous Daniel was thrown to the lions, and Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were hurled into the fiery furnace, and they endured for God’s sake. 22 So you too, who have the same faith in God, must not be dismayed. 23 For it would be unreasonable for those who know piety not to stand firm against suffering.” 24 With these words the mother of seven encouraged each of her sons and persuaded them to die rather than break the commandment of God. 25 They also knew that those who die for God live to God, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the patriarchs do.