And under these orders of the tyrant seven brethren together with their aged mother were brought prisoners before him, all handsome, and modest, and well-born, — and generally attractive.
2And when the tyrant saw them there, standing as if they were a festal choir with their mother in the midst, he took notice of them, and struck by their noble and distinguished bearing he smiled at them, and calling them nearer said:
3'O young men, I wish well to each one of you, and admire your beauty, and honour highly so large a band of brothers; so not only do I advise you not to persist in the madness of that old man who has already suffered, but I even entreat of you to yield to me and become partakers in my friendship. For, as I am able to punish those who disobey my orders, so am I able to advance those who do obey me.
4Be assured then that you shall be given positions of importance and authority in my service if you will reject the ancestral law of your polity.
5Share in the Hellenic life, and walk in a new way, and take some pleasure in your youth; for if you drive me to anger with your disobedience you will compel me to resort to terrible penalties and put every single one of you to death by torture.
6Have pity then on yourselves, whom even I, your opponent, pity for your youth and your beauty.
7Will you not consider with yourselves this thing, that if you disobey me there is nothing before you but death in torments?'
8With these words he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward in order to persuade them by fear to eat unclean meat.
9But when the guards had produced wheels, and joint-dislocators, and racks, and bone-crushers, and catapults, and cauldrons, and braziers, and thumb-screws, and iron claws, and wedges, and branding irons, the tyrant spoke again and said:
10'You had better feel fear, my lads, and the justice you worship will pardon your unwilling transgression.'
11But they, hearing his persuasions, and seeing his dreadful engines, not only showed no fear but actually arrayed their philosophy in opposition to the tyrant, and by their right Reason did abase his tyranny.
12And yet consider; supposing some amongst them to have been faint-hearted and cowardly, what sort of language would they have used? would it not have been to this effect?
13'Alas! miserable creatures that we are and foolish above measure! When the king invites us and appeals to us on terms of kind treatment shall we not obey him?
14Why do we encourage ourselves with vain desires and dare a disobedience that is to cost us our lives? Shall we not, O men my brothers, fear the dread instruments and weigh well his threats of the tortures, and abandon these empty vaunts and this fatal bragging?
15Let us take pity on our own youth and have compassion on our mother's age; and let us lay to heart that if we disobey we shall die.
16And even the divine justice will have mercy on us, if compelled by necessity we yield to the king in fear. Why should we cast away from us this dear life and rob ourselves of this sweet world?
17Let us not strive against necessity nor with vain confidence invite our torture.
18Even the Law itself does not willingly condemn us to death, we being in terror of the instruments of torture.
19Why does such contentiousness inflame us and a fatal obstinacy find favour with us, when we might have a peaceful life by obeying the king?'
20But no such words escaped these young men at the prospect of the torture, nor did such thoughts enter into their minds.
21For they were despisers of the passions and masters over pain.