From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus

the mean-spirited, and those that were not wise enough to show a right love
of their souls, preferred a death by a disease, before that which is the result
of a virtuous behavior.
3. At the same time that these men made this speech to their disciples, a
rumor was spread abroad that the king was dying, which made the young
men set about the work with greater boldness; they therefore let themselves
down from the top of the temple with thick cords, and this at midday, and
while a great number of people were in the temple, and cut down that golden
eagle with axes. This was presently told to the king's captain of the temple,
who came running with a great body of soldiers, and caught about forty of
the young men, and brought them to the king. And when he asked them, first
of all, whether they had been so hardy as to cut down the golden eagle, they
confessed they had done so; and when he asked them by whose command
they had done it, they replied, at the command of the law of their country;
and when he further asked them how they could be so joyful when they were
to be put to death, they replied, because they should enjoy greater happiness
after they were dead. (1)
4. At this the king was in such an extravagant passion, that he overcame
his disease [for the time,] and went out, and spake to the people; wherein he
made a terrible accusation against those men, as being guilty of sacrilege,
and as making greater attempts under pretense of their law, and he thought
they deserved to be punished as impious persons. Whereupon the people
were afraid lest a great number should be found guilty and desired that when
he had first punished those that put them upon this work, and then those that
were caught in it, he would leave off his anger as to the rest. With this the
king complied, though not without difficulty, and ordered those that had let
themselves down, together with their Rabbins, to be burnt alive, but
delivered the rest that were caught to the proper officers, to be put to death
by them.
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