If then a woman, advanced in years and mother of seven sons, endured seeing her sons tortured to death, it must be acknowledged that pious reason is sovereign over the passions.
2I have demonstrated, therefore, that not only men have mastered their passions, but also a woman despised the greatest tortures.
3The lions around Daniel were not so fierce, nor the furnace of Mishael, burning with the most intense fire, so hot.
4As nature burned in her while she saw her seven sons tortured with so many tortures.
5But with the reason of piety she extinguished the multiplicity of passions.
6Consider still this: if the woman had been cowardly, although she was a mother, she would have lamented for them.
7Perhaps she would have said: Oh, miserable me, doubly miserable! After giving birth to seven sons, I end up being mother of none!
8O seven useless births and seven fruitless confinements, in vain nursings and miserable cares.
9In vain, my sons, I endured for your sake so many pains of childbirth.
10Alas, my sons, some single, others married without profit. I will not see your children, nor be called happy as a grandmother.