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Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson.
Polycarp in Print
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17 Pages
Page 11
Chapter XI. — No threats have any effect on Polycarp.
The proconsul then said to him, "I have wild beasts at hand; to these will I cast thee, except thou repent." But he answered, "Call them then, for we are not accustomed to repent of what is good in order to adopt that which is evil; [449] and it is well for me to be changed from what is evil to what is righteous." [450] But again the proconsul said to him, "I will cause thee to be consumed by fire, seeing thou despisest the wild beasts, if thou wilt not repent." But Polycarp said, "Thou threatenest me with fire which burneth for an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but art ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why tarriest thou? Bring forth what thou wilt."
[449] Literally, "repentance from things better to things worse is a change impossible to us."
[450] That is, to leave this world for a better.
Chapter XII. — Polycarp is sentenced to be burned.
While he spoke these and many other like things, he was filled with confidence and joy, and his countenance was full of grace, so that not merely did it not fall as if troubled by the things said to him, but, on the contrary, the proconsul was astonished, and sent his herald to proclaim in the midst of the stadium thrice, "Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian." This proclamation having been made by the herald, the whole multitude both of the heathen and Jews, who dwelt at Smyrna, cried out with uncontrollable fury, and in a loud voice, "This is the teacher of Asia, [451] the father of the Christians, and the overthrower of our gods, he who has been teaching many not to sacrifice, or to worship the gods." Speaking thus, they cried out, and besought Philip the Asiarch [452] to let loose a lion upon Polycarp. But Philip answered that it was not lawful for him to do so, seeing the shows [453] of wild beasts were already finished. Then it seemed good to them to cry out with one consent, that Polycarp should be burnt alive. For thus it behooved the vision which was revealed to him in regard to his pillow to be fulfilled, when, seeing it on fire as he was praying, he turned about and said prophetically to the faithful that were with him, "I must be burnt alive."
[451] Some read, "ungodliness," but the above seems preferable.
[452] The Asiarchs were those who superintended all arrangements connected with the games in the several provinces.
[453] Literally, "the baiting of dogs."
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/polycarp/epistle-martyrdom-polycarp.asp?pg=11
