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Anonymous, The Martyrdom of Polycarp
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The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrna Concerning the Martyrdom of the Holy Polycarp
Chapter I.—Subject of which we write.
Chapter II.—The wonderful constancy of the martyrs.
Chapter III.—The constancy of Germanicus. The death of Polycarp is demanded.
Chapter IV.—Quintus the apostate.
Chapter V.—The departure and vision of Polycarp.
Chapter VI.—Polycarp is betrayed by a servant.
Chapter VII.—Polycarp is found by his pursuers.
Chapter VIII.—Polycarp is brought into the city.
Chapter IX.—Polycarp refuses to revile Christ.
Chapter X.—Polycarp confesses himself a Christian.
Chapter XI.—No threats have any effect on Polycarp.
Chapter XII.—Polycarp is sentenced to be burned.
Chapter XIII.—The funeral pile is erected.
Chapter XIV.—The prayer of Polycarp.
Chapter XV.—Polycarp is not injured by the fire.
Chapter XVI.—Polycarp is pierced by a dagger.
Chapter XVII.—The Christians are refused Polycarp’s body.
Chapter XVIII.—The body of Polycarp is burned.
Chapter XIX.—Praise of the martyr Polycarp.
Chapter XX.—This epistle is to be transmitted to the brethren.
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;30 Literally, “repentance from things better to things worse is a change impossible to us.” and it is well for me to be changed from what is evil to what is righteous.”31 That is, to leave this world for a better. 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.”
XI 1. Ὁ δὲ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν· Θηρία ἔχω, τούτοις σε παραβαλῶ, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Κάλει, ἀμετάθετος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω μετάνοια· καλὸν δὲ μετατιθεσθαι πρὸς αὐτόν· Πυρί σε ποιήσω δαπανηθῆναι, εἰ τῶν θηρίων καταφρονεῖς, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς. ὁ δὲ Πολύκαρπος εἶπεν· Πῦρ ἀπειλεῖς τὸ πρὸς ὥραν καιόμενον καὶ μετ’ ὀλίγον σβεννύμενον· ἀγνοεῖς γὰρ τὸ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως καὶ αἰωνίου κολάσεως τοῖς ἀσεβέσι τηρούμενον πῦρ. ἀλλὰ τί βραδύνεις; φέρε, ὃ βούλει.