4 Maccabees 3

The argument is exceedingly ridiculous: for reasoning does not appear to bear sway over its own affections, but over those of the body,

Ἐστὶ δὲ κομιδῆ γελοῖος ὁ λογισμός οὐ γὰρ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ παθῶν ὁ λογισμὸς ἐπικρατεῖν φαίνεται, ἀλλὰ τῶν σωματικῶν.

in such a way as that any one of you may not be able to root out desire, but reasoning will enable you to avoid being enslaved to it.

Οἷον ἐπιθυμίαν τις ὑμῶν οὐ δύναται ἐκκόψαι, ἀλλὰ μὴ δουλωθῆναι τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ δύναται ὁ λογισμὸς παρασχέσθαι.

One may not be able to root out anger from the soul, but it is possible to withstand anger.

Θυμόν τις οὐ δύναται ἐκκόψαι ἡμῶν τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀλλὰ τῷ θυμῷ δυνατὸν βοηθῆσαι.

Any one of you may not be able to eradicate malice, but reasoning has force to work with you to prevent your yielding to malice.

Κακοήθειάν τις ὑμῶν οὐ δύναται ἐκκόψαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ καμφθῆναι τῇ κακοηθείᾀ δυνατὸν ὁ λογισμὸς συμμαχῆσαι.

For reasoning is not an eradicator, but an antagonist of the passions.

Οὐ γὰρ ἐκριζωτὴς τῶν παθῶν ὁ λογισμός ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ ἀνταγωνιστής.

And this may be more clearly comprehended from the thirst of King David.

Ἔστιν γοῦν τοῦτο διὰ τῆς Δαυεὶδ τοῦ βασιλέως δίψης σαφέστερον ἐπιλογίσασθαι.

For after David had been attacking the Philistines the whole day, he with the soldiers of his nation slew many of them;

Ἐπεὶ γὰρ διʼ ὅλης ἡμέρας προσβαλὼν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις ὁ Δαυὶδ, πολλοὺς αὐτῶν ἀπέκτεινεν μετὰ τῶν τοῦ ἔθνους στρατιωτῶν·

then when evening came, sweating and very weary, he came to the royal tent, about which the entire host of our ancestors was encamped.

τότε δὲ γενομένης ἑσπέρας, ὑδρῶν καὶ σφόδρα κεκμηκὼς, ἐπὶ τὴν βασίλειον σκηνὴν ἦλθεν, περὶ ἣν ὁ πᾶς τῶν προγόνων στρατὸς ἐστρατοπέδευκεν.

Now all the rest of them were at supper;

Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι πάντες ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον ἦσαν.

but the king, being very much athirst, although he had numerous springs, could not by their means quench his thirst;

Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ὡς μάλιστα διψῶν, καίπερ ἀφθόνους ἔχων πηγὰς, οὐκ ἠδύνατο διʼ αὐτῶν ἰάσασθαι τὴν δίψαν·

but a certain irrational longing for the water in the enemy's camp grew stronger and fiercer upon him, and consumed him with languish.

ἀλλά τις αὐτὸν ἀλόγιστος ἐπιθυμία τοῦ παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις ὕδατος ἐπιτείνουσα συνέφρυγεν, καὶ λύουσα κατέφλεγεν.

Wherefore his body-guards being troubled at this longing of the king, two valiant young soldiers, reverencing the desire of the king, put on their panoplies, and taking a pitcher, got over the ramparts of the enemies:

Ὅθεν τῶν ὑπερασπιστῶν ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιθυμία σχετλιαζόντων, δύο νεανίσκοι στρατιῶται καρτεροὶ καταιδεσθέντες τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιθυμίαν, τὰς πανοπλίας καθωπλίσαντο, καὶ κάλπην λαβόντες ὑπερέβησαν τοὺς τῶν πολεμίων χάρακας·

and unperceived by the guardians of the gate, they went throughout the whole camp of the enemy in quest.

καὶ λαθόντες τοὺς τῶν πυλῶν ἀκροφύλακας, διεξῄεσαν εὑράμενοι κατὰ πᾶν τὸ τῶν πολεμίων στρατόπεδον.

And having boldly discovered the fountain, they filled out of it the draught for the king.

Καὶ ἀνευράμενοι θαῤῥαλέως τὴν πηγὴν, ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐγέμισαν τῷ βασιλεῖ τὸ ποτόν.

But he, though parched up with thirst, reasoned that a draught reputed of equal value to blood, would be terribly dangerous to his soul.

Ὁ δὲ καὶ περὶ τὴν δίψαν διαπυρούμενος, ἐλογίσατο πάνδεινον εἶναι κίνδυνον τῇ ψυχῇ λογισθὲν ἰσοδύναμον τὸ ποτὸν αἵματι.

Wherefore, setting up reasoning in opposition to his desire, he poured out the draught to God.

Ὅθεν ἀντιθεὶς τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τὸν λογισμὸν, ἔσπεισεν τὸ πόμα τῷ Θεῷ.

For the temperate mind has power to conquer the pressure of the passions, and to quench the fires of excitement,

Δυνατὸς γὰρ ὁ σώφρων νοῦς νικῆσαι τὰς τῶν παθῶν ἀνάγκας, καὶ σβέσαι τὰς τῶν οἴστρων φλεγμονὰς, καὶ τὰς τῶν σωμάτων ἀλγηδόνας καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν οὔσας καταπαλαῖσαι,

and to wrestle down the pains of the body, however excessive; and, through the excellency of reasoning, to abominate all the assaults of the passions.

καὶ τῆς καλοκᾳγαθίας τοῦ λογισμοῦ ἀποπτῦσαι πάσας τὰς τῶν παθῶν ἐπικρατείας.

But the occasion now invites us to give an illustration of temperate reasoning from history.

Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἡμᾶς καλεῖ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ἱστορίας τοῦ σώφρονος λογισμοῦ.

For at a time when our fathers were in possession of undisturbed peace through obedience to the law, and were prosperous, so that Seleucus Nicanor, the king of Asia, both assigned them money for divine service, and accepted their form of government,

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ βαθεῖαν εἰρήνην διὰ τὴν εὐνομίαν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν εἶχον, καὶ ἔπραττον καλῶς, ὥστε καὶ τὸν τῆς Ἀσίας βασιλέα Σέλευκον τὸν Νικάνορα καὶ χρήματα εἰς τὴν ἱερουργίαν αὐτοῖς ἀποφορίσαι, καὶ τὴν πολιτείαν αὐτῶν ἀποδέχεσθαι·

then certain persons, bringing in new things contrary to the general unanimity, in various ways fell into calamities.

τότε δή τινες πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν νεωτερίσαντες ὁμόνοιαν, πυλυτρόπως ἐχρήσαντο συμφοραῖς.