The withholding of death, instead of being an alleviation, is really a refinement of torture; so infernal is the pain, that the sufferers crave, but crave in vain, for death (Sibyll. iii. 208: καὶ καλέσουσι καλόν τὸ θανεῖν καὶ φεύξετʼ ἀπʼ αὐτῶν). It is singular that suicide is never contemplated, although it was widely prevalent at this period in certain circles of the Empire (see Merivale's Romans under the Empire, ch. 64; Lecky's Europ. Morals, i. 212 f.). For its un-Jewish character see Jos. Bell. iii. 8.5.

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Old Testament