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.