4 Maccabees 8:13

¹¹Thus speaking, he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward, that very fear might prevail upon them to eat unclean meat.

¹²And when the spearman brought forward the wheels, and the racks, and hooks, and catapults, and caldrons, pans, and finger racks, and iron hands, and wedges, and bellows, the tyrant continued:

— 4 Maccabees 8:13 —

¹⁴Now they having listened to these words of persuasion, and seeing the fearful instruments, not only were not afraid, but even answered the arguments of the tyrant, and through their good reasoning destroyed his power.

¹⁵Now let us consider the matter: had any of them been weak spirited and cowardly among them, what reasonings would they have employed but such as these?