27. Therefore, by bravely giving up life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
28. and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.”He spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
29. Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness.
30. When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned, saying: “The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him.”
31. This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of nobility and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.