“Therefore Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man advanced in age, etc. This Eleazar, whom the wickedness of Antiochus, a most cruel king, forced in his old age to eat pork, represents the Christian people, whom the savagery of Antichrist will attempt, before the end of the world, to turn to idolatry and to the fi…”
Rabanus Maurus, 9th c. — Commentary on 2 Maccabees
Original
18Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, an aged man, and of a well favoured countenance, was constrained to open his mouth, and to eat swine’s flesh.
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In context
16And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: and though he punish with adversity, yet doth he never forsake his people.
17But let this that we at spoken be for a warning unto us. And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words.
— 2 Maccabees 6:18 —
19But he, choosing rather to die gloriously, than to live stained with such an abomination, spit it forth, and came of his own accord to the torment,
20As it behoved them to come, that are resolute to stand out against such things, as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted.