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Acts of St Polyeuctes

tr. Conybeare, 1894

polyeuctes

By now has the bounteous grace of God and likewise His might been manifested unto all through the holy martyr Polyeuctes. Now are the heathen cast down and full of sorrow, and they that put their hope in their soulless idols and went astray after their graven images are put to shame. In so much as they have been compelled against their wills by the divine might to become imitators of the holy Polyeuctes, in order that unto God the Creator and Maker of all, in accordance with divine writ, every knee may bend, of them that are in heaven and on earth and under the earth. For the tidings of the divine power have been brought to men, and are in recent events ever more and more praised and glorified. For lo! the blessed Polyeuctes, who was esteemed a heathen in life and religion, even he on a sudden set himself to confirm the religion of Christ. He that was soldier of an earthly king, in the twinkling of an eye flouted his human warfare and with all zeal elected in place thereof to bear the armour of Christ, and decked his brow with the never-fading crown, symbol of his struggle bravely borne.

For the Saviour summoned him to His own kingdom by a certain revelation, and bade him doff the earthly cloak of war which he wore, and array himself instead in the martyr’s garb of mystery and ineffable honour. Yea, He bade him put off his sordid earthly cloak of unbelief, that he might don that of the holy martyr, which is more honourable and holy and pleasing to God. Then with self-born zeal the blessed one hastened forth at the summons of the Saviour, and by his very readiness forestalled the call, spurning at once and unhesitatingly all that is earthly and human. Him neither wife nor children, nor store of riches nor military discipline, nor honour and high command, nor any human glory and greatness could draw away from the true service of God. For he esteemed more highly the life and citizenship of heaven, and gave up without delay of one moment the life of foolishness and idolatry for the true and spotless worship of God. But what is even more wonderful in the economy of his salvation is this, that the saint Polyeuctes was living with the very daughter of the Persecutor. And this Persecutor was inducing all others by his violence to worship idols, but he could not bend the good resolution of the saint. Wherefore he then took his daughter and her children, and brought them to him; wishing by means of them to humble and ensnare him. But he remained firm and immovable in the faith of Christ, and spurned the ties of his human kinship and affections; striving only to follow and serve the heavenly King, who had chosen him out to be his own soldier. Nor was it without divine providence that he was even in this life pressed into the service of the camp, in spite of the many hardships which the life entailed. For God wished from the first to test the martyr’s resolution and prove him, as pure and choice gold is proved in the furnace; and therefore He threw him from the first into a life of warfare, such as many deemed likely to displease him. But instead he was proved by means of this very life on earth to be a faithful and firm servant of God. And, lo and behold, it was just by reason of his good conduct and devotion to arms, that he became a martyr, and passed from the humble army of this earth to yonder greater one.

O pious martyr, all holy, witness of God revered in all places, of whose memory we all weary not. O Godlike martyr and true, who bestowedst so much more honour and glory on the human race, than thou didst derive therefrom. For thou didst trample on the head of the serpent, even as did also the holy martyr Thekla, and Perpetua¹ who ascended along that brazen ladder, which led to heaven, until she reached her Saviour. Unerring are the prophecies in all that they foreshadow. For the prophets knew that the trials of this earthly life are many and wearisome, and that they encompass the race of Christians. And after a long and honourable² life on earth a man will yet scarcely be able to reach heavenly honour. Well, along this ladder the blessed Polyeuctes ascended. He likewise smote the head of that same dragon, and spurned idols, mounting upwards by the mysterious and ineffable ladder; and thus in miraculous wise he confirmed the utterance of the apostle, who says, that by faith they shall quench the power of fire and shall shut up the mouths of lions.

O armour of the heavenly faith, which the sword of Satan could not touch! O pupil of Christ, tried by fire, true and genuine soldier! Thus it is that for his virtue and true faith he is eternally honoured in deathless memory, as one who is still near to us. Wherefore this day will we celebrate the true festival of his birth, and so reap the fruit of his deeds, in order that he may bestow upon each of us his helpful and goodly prayers.

What gift then shall we offer to the saint comparable to that which he bestowed on us? How shall we display our gratitude for the love of God manifested unto us, and prove our goodwill? Let us dance our customary dances, if it be our pleasure so to do; and let us recall to memory the deeds of the saint and all that regards his history. Thus we shall fix in our minds the very words he spoke and participate in his holiest memory agreeably to the document, and shall be able to establish our souls in the true faith.

Now the origin of his martyrdom was as follows. A certain Nearchus, for that was his name, and Polyeuctes the blessed martyr, were called brethren; not as being so by blood relationship, but as being so by choice and love of each other. And because of their true friendship for one another they were called comrades and familiar friends, while according to the mysterious will of God they were proved to be sharers of His mysteries. Now Nearchus was a Christian, but the blessed Polyeuctes in matters of religion reckoned himself a Greek, though he was such in name only, for he was not far from the true faith, and was destined to transcend many dubious Christians in his fervour in its behalf. How wonderful is the divine economy! For before the Saviour came to dwell among us, sent down by God from heaven to earth for our salvation, all men sat in the gloom of idolatry and in the depths of impiety. But at the advent of the Saviour, all on a sudden rose up as it were out of a steep well from their idolatry. My brethren, think of that advent! Think of the faith of Polyeuctes, of the king coming down from heaven to dwell among us, of His soldier who freely ran to serve Him. What then was the trial which the martyr underwent? What was the occasion of the call which summoned him from Paganism to bear witness all on a sudden immediately after the advent of the Saviour?

Decius³ and Valerian were abusing the authority committed to them by God in an impious manner; and with the cruel violence of despots had enacted a new law, to the effect that those who consented to sacrifice to idols should be advanced in the service, while those who should refuse to sacrifice were to be put to death by beheading.

Now on the publishing of this iniquitous edict against the Christians, Nearchus the friend of the martyr was in confusion and bitter straits; and he sighed and wept continually, and shrank from his usual converse with Polyeuctes. The latter was surprised and was moved to sympathise with him; and several times he went to him and asked him the reason of his sorrow. But the other found it not easy to answer the questions of the holy martyr; who, after a spell of silence during which Nearchus remained plunged in profound grief, repeated the question as follows: “What is this mood of thine, so unlike the warmth of frank and open friendship? Hast thou renounced thy old friendship, that thou dost not deign to answer me? Have I given thee any cause to sorrow or shrink from me in this wise?”

It was only then and with difficulty after repeated questionings on the part of the martyr, that Nearchus unbent and began to speak and say: “Because I foresaw the separation between us which this impious and iniquitous edict will at once bring about, therefore, O Polyeuctes, I kept silent, because henceforth we cannot maintain our old friendship for one another.”

Then the holy Polyeuctes answered him and said: “O Nearchus, thy words to me are contrary to all that I hoped or expected. For even though we are about to be parted by death, still no one can dissolve the bond of friendship and love which unites us.” Nearchus said to him: “Aye, this is just what I was brooding over, that the separation I had in mind is something above and beyond that entailed by human death.” But when the holy Polyeuctes heard this, he fell on the neck of Nearchus and prayed and besought him to tell him the reason of the impending separation. But Nearchus, when he received the supplications of the holy martyr, wished to tell him all, but was prevented by the difficulty he felt and by his tears, and full of confusion, he gazed at Polyeuctes, and such was his affliction that he threw himself on the ground. And the holy Polyeuctes could not bear to see this, yet was at a loss how to console him, and he thought that perhaps he had taken offence in some way at his friend; and accordingly he fell to reflecting thus: “Surely I have not incurred reproach in the blameless life of Nearchus.” So after reflection, he said: “Surely no one has traduced Nearchus, and it is not for that or because of any calumny or loss of property that Nearchus is plunged in dejection and tears. I am ready, said the holy martyr, to help him in such case, and to bear accusations and death for my true love of Nearchus. Nay, had I even a child, I would not spare him, if I could indulge my love of Nearchus. Faith, I would reckon it lower than my love of him, and would sacrifice all to keep my affection for him whole and unimpaired.”

And when Nearchus heard such language from the holy martyr, he rose up, and with difficulty opened his lips, for he was much weighed down with care and sorrow. And he began to speak thus: “O Polyeuctes, on the morrow are we to be parted from one another?” But Polyeuctes could not believe the words of his friend, but was much perplexed and disturbed at his strange agitation and at his shedding so many tears, and he besought him to say what had happened to him, and what reason he had for speaking in such a manner. And after he had besought him many times, Nearchus began to tell him with many tears about the iniquitous edict against Christians. And when the other heard of these iniquitous edicts, he rallied his spirit, and resolved to become a spectator of God and of heaven. Moreover he recalled the revelation which he had received, and found that it had been concurrent in time with the edict. And forthwith he was filled with grace, and began to tell Nearchus about it. “This day,” he said, “I beheld, O Nearchus, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom thou worshippest in holy wise and with fear and trembling. He approached me, and stripped off me the filthy human cloak which I wore, and clad me with one far more precious, and bright as light, and flashing with gold; and at the same time that He thus arrayed me He bestowed upon me also a winged horse.” When Nearchus heard this he rejoiced exceedingly, and said to his friend: “I trow that thou also hast a knowledge of Christ, the God in heaven, who is for ever and ever, and is rich with heavenly riches, and who apportions His grace without stint or grudge to all who call upon Him.” And in reply Polyeuctes said: “Yet when did I forget my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ? And whenever thou hast told me about Him, did I not listen with wonder and admiration? And whenever thou hast read to me the Divine Scriptures, have I not on hearing them forthwith shed tears and trembled? Although I was not in name called a Christian, yet by disposition and in reality I was eager to range myself among the servants of the Saviour; for everywhere and always was I anxious to put to shame the vain folly of idols, with their false and crafty deceit.”

And when Nearchus heard this, his soul was filled with rejoicing, and he said to the blessed Polyeuctes: “With regard to the foul and false idols, we are compelled now to sacrifice to them by the iniquitous emperors; and for those who may refuse to sacrifice, and resolve to serve Christ, it is ordained that they should die by the sword. What then dost thou now say, O Polyeuctes? Restrain me not from weeping, and from lamenting on account of thee, for I am in doubt whether I shall not lose thee on account of my love. For a presentiment came over me that thou wilt submit to the edict of the Emperor; for thou art not yet a perfected Christian, and thou wilt be compelled to sacrifice to idols.”

But when the blessed Polyeuctes heard this there was kindled in his soul an impulse towards God, and with his fleshly eyes he looked to Nearchus, as if he were vexed, and he caught him by the hand, and said: “These then were Thy apprehensions, O Nearchus? Were these from the first the opinions Thou entertainedst of me? How couldst Thou harbour such a presentiment about me, Thou who on every occasion wast wont to read to me the divine and ineffable mystery, and I, when I heard it, repudiated the foul and abominable images? How then, O my comrade Nearchus, have we been content until now with the knowledge of that which is fleshly, while we have ignored all along the spiritual and ineffable through which we converse with God? Why then do we not carry out our feelings, O Nearchus, or why do we not proclaim publicly and before all the world the faith which is in our Lord Jesus Christ?”

But Nearchus was aroused as it were from sleep by the words of the blessed Polyeuctes, and rallied his soul, and said to the saint: “To me, O Polyeuctes, neither wealth, nor military honour, nor the life of this world appears more precious than the life of Christ. Nay, I would fain give the preference to immortality, and salvation, and eternity, over life that is human and transitory.” But Polyeuctes, on hearing this, resolved to test the faith of his friend, and explore his resolution. So he said to him: “And art thou not sparing, O Nearchus, of this honour?” But the other thinking that he asked this question seriously, and not merely to try him, replied: “If thou only knewest the honour which I have had bestowed on me⁴ by Christ, and the progress He has vouchsafed to me!” (For He spoke openly and spiritually with him, and even in accordance with the divine will guided him in his resolutions.) The holy Polyeuctes said to him: “Thou imaginest that I am ignorant of the progress which thou hast made in Christ, and the honour which awaits thee from Him. But before thee, O Nearchus, have I made progress with the Saviour; for this very day have I received from the Saviour, through a revelation, a heavenly and royal cloak. But I would fain put to thee one capital question of a spiritual kind; for I have a fear and suspicion in my mind, lest if I should come to the Saviour unbaptized,⁵ He should not receive me with the rest into His spiritual host. Is it then possible for those who are not baptized, neither have partaken of the holy mystery, to be found acceptable to God?”

But Nearchus, seeing what was in the mind of the blessed Polyeuctes, forasmuch as he was not yet actually a full Christian, and had had no experience of the divine mystery, resolved to spur him on to yet greater faith, and he reminded the saint of the divine writings, and exhorted him with still greater urgency to believe. And he began to address him thus: “Spare thyself,” he said, “Polyeuctes, all apprehension on this point. For God is able, as the divine writings say, to raise up children to Abraham from these very stones; that is because of a choice and decision, which was neither hoped for nor expected, he can make the very Gentiles soldiers of Christ. For behold, dearest friend, unto all the Gentiles⁶ the doors of heaven are opened, and the approaches to deathless salvation are not shut to any one. Although a man may have believed but for a little time, yet for that little he shall receive a great reward, if his faith be genuine. This is why the Saviour also in the gospel commands that the same reward should be given to the labourers who had entered the vineyard in the first, and ninth, and eleventh hours; signifying that even though you come in unto the Lord at a late hour you shall receive the same reward as the rest.” And when he heard this Polyeuctes recollected a passage which accorded with what Nearchus had said, and he said: “In truth I once heard you read from the Divine Book that some of the labourers worked for a single hour only and that to them the Saviour commanded the very same reward to be given as to those who had borne the heat and burthen of the day.” And Nearchus said to him: “Yes, and thou mayest remember yet another history, of a kind to stir and urge thee still more strongly to believe, and this is from the history of the Lord. Bethink thee of the thief⁷ who was crucified on the right hand side; what did He say to the thief who was crucified on the left, and who reviled the Lord? ‘We suffer justly for what we have done, but our Saviour was guiltless and sinless of the cross,’ and as he said this he turned and said, ‘Remember me, Lord, in Thy kingdom.’ And then what answer did the Lord make unto him? For his simple and unpretending faith what great things did He not promise him? for He said, ‘This day art thou with Me in Paradise.’ Dost thou see, O Polyeuctes, what great good tidings He bestows in return for how short a spell of faith? Lo, according to the gospel, if a man possess faith, even though it be small, he is yet able to move mountains.”⁸

And thereat the blessed Polyeuctes cried out, and said: “And is it possible, O Nearchus, for men to attain unto such things without baptism?” Nearchus replied: “Everything is holy to the holy, as again the Divine Scriptures say.⁹ But to those who are defiled in their will nothing is holy, because their mind and consciences are destroyed. Behold, we see the Lord, when they brought to Him the blind that they might be healed, had nothing to say to them about the holy mystery, nor did He ask them if they had been baptized; but this only, whether they came to him with true faith. Wherefore He asked them, ‘Do ye believe,’ He said, ‘that I am able to do this thing?’ With genuine love of man did He manifest His power, and addressing to them a single word he commanded their fleshly eyes to see, and immediately their eyes were opened.”

Then on hearing these things the blessed Polyeuctes rallied and encouraged his soul; and he forgot all earthly concerns, and said, crying out on a sudden: “I have been one with Christ from the beginning, and He will care for me and guard me. For I have renounced all mortal things, and henceforth ‘tis meet that I should bear witness (i.e. be martyred) for Christ’s sake. But the law of the Saviour was made manifest beforehand, which taught us, saying, ‘Whilst thou wast still being formed in thy mother’s belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth from the womb I loved thee.’ Therefore it is manifest that He has called me into heaven. For behold, the heathen who hate God saw the Lord Jesus appear and standing near me, saw my face shining with the resplendent light of His countenance. Now, therefore, it is time for us to depart; go and read the unholy edict of the Emperor.”

And when the blessed Polyeuctes read it, he began to make mock of such human legislation as that, and seizing the writing he tore off a portion of it. And after that, looking in another direction, he saw the idols, referred to therein, being borne on high into the temple, where they usually were, and they were decorated with boughs and leaves in order that men might be deceived by such a show, and come to behold the so-called gods. Such were the idols at which the holy Polyeuctes looked, and beholding, he was filled with divine scorn and began to mock at them. And every one voluntarily approached the idols; but he seized every one of the figures in turn and hurled them to the ground, and in an instant crushed and ground them all to powder.

And when this happened his father-in-law, Felix, came up, who had been appointed persecutor by the iniquitous emperors, and he was dumb-foundered at what had been done by the holy Polyeuctes, and said to him: “I have lost both my children, and now I, Felix, am bereft of children. For I who formerly was proud, and boasted of my children and son-in-law, am now, alas! childless; for no one henceforth will take pity on Polyeuctes, not the gods, nor the autocrat emperors, seeing what sort of deeds he has dared to commit, breaking and destroying all our gods.” But Polyeuctes said: “Long ago I have spurned them, and now have demonstrated their impotence by actual deed. But, O Felix, see if you have any other gods, and, if so, make haste to bring them forth, in order that I, the servant of God, may insult and annihilate them.”

Then Felix turned to the saint, and said to him: “Concern thyself, O Polyeuctes, to live yet a little while, and seclude thyself quietly, in order that thou mayest behold thy wife before thou diest.” But the holy Polyeuctes reasoned according to the divine wisdom, and replied: “What wife or child have I to look upon save only those spiritual and heavenly ones whom Christ has made ready for me? But if thy daughter would follow me, let her also follow me in my resolve, and display a zeal that is blessed and glorious. But if she has any other intentions, then shall she be overtaken by the same fate as thy so-called gods.” But Felix wept when he heard these words, and he saw that Polyeuctes had cast off all human ties as alien. He said to him: “But thee, O Polyeuctes, the trickeries of Christ have deceived.” And the holy Polyeuctes said to him: “I admit that by His power He has drawn after Him my mind and will. For Christ has such irresistible might that He has brought me under His ineffable sway and detached me from the folly of idols, nor has He disdained to make me His chosen soldier.” And as he spoke these words he was himself filled with the divine and heavenly power.

Then he was given over to the persecutors and their servants, who smote him piteously on the lips with green switches. But the saint cared not at all for this torture, for he beheld Him who was crucified for him standing near him. Then the saint with deep indignation began to say ta Felix as follows: “O thou foul, and unholy, and abominable mystery-monger, who art the minister of kings miserable and of brief span, why dost thou try to cajole me with thy crafty tears, who in thy secret heart art full of guile; because of my wife and children dost thou try to drive me from the hope of Christ. From this day forth weep not for me, Polyeuctes; but if thou believest me, ‘tis thyself that thou must weep for, who art destined by thy foul and disgusting services to the children of this world to be condemned to darkness and the eternal fire.”

And when the blessed Polyeuctes had said this much, he dismissed the things of earth and betook himself to the contemplation of heavenly things alone. And at that time a certain woman, whose name was Paulina, ran up in haste, with tears and full of sympathy, and said to the holy martyr: “Why art thou mad, O Polyeuctes, or who hath befooled thee into such hardihood, and into doing such deeds as to destroy the ten and two gods?” But the blessed Polyeuctes ridiculed the words of his wife, and said to her: “What if I have destroyed your dozen of gods; have you not then met with other gods on the face of the earth? However, if thou wilt obey me, O Paulina, follow me in my resolution, and believe, and have regard for thyself, in order that instead of this transitory life thou mayest receive the life which is eternal and deathless.” And after using these words, as well as many others spiritual and full of mystery, he ceased. And many unbelievers, when they beheld his unblenched and inflexible faith, were confirmed in the faith. And then all the body of the persecutors met together and decided that the blessed saint should be put to death by beheadal.

The holy martyr knew of this unholy command, and contemned the tortures of the human body; nay, he welcomed them as the road to perfection; and he stood full of joy awaiting the sentence of death, for he was rejoicing with the Saviour in heaven. But because he was full of sympathy, as long as he was in the flesh he continued to converse with us, and actually addressed the brethren who stood by him, as follows: “I see,” he said, “a certain youth leading me on, and eager to converse with me, and he teaches me to forget and pass away from human things.¹⁰ Therefore it is clear that I am about to die in the Lord, and it seems to me that by means of His precious blood in a mysterious manner the seal both of the divine baptism and of Christ is herein set upon me.”

But Nearchus never forgot his friendship and love. For they were in their bodies twain one spirit and one life. Then the martyr gazed on Nearchus, and said: “Farewell to thee, and forget not, my brother, the ineffable joy that is mine and thine.” And these last words he left behind him, as it were a seal set upon Nearchus; and himself was slain with the sword. Then the brethren buried his precious and holy body with honour in Melitene, a city of the Armenians, and bestowed it on them as it were an eternal heritage of their own. The saint was buried on the fourth day after the Sabbath; forasmuch as it was also meet that he should end his life on such a day. For in all respects he showed a faith that was four-square in its strength and unshakeableness. And thus they laid to rest his holy body; but his precious blood Nearchus caught in clean napkins, and took it to the city of the Cananeots (as some precious heirloom, and they treasured it up as a weapon of salvation for all from far and near).

All this was wrought, in the days of Decius and Valerian, in the East, during the first persecution.¹¹ And be it known, the first saint who suffered was Stephanus, in Jerusalem; and the second was the holy Philoromus, in Alexandria; and the third saint was Polyeuctes, in Melitene, before the fourth of the indiction of the month Aratz,¹² in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom power and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

¹³And after the holy Polyeuctes had suffered, I, the humble Nearchus, gave the records of the same to Timotheus, the Cananeot, and to Saturninus, and adjured them by the judgment of Christ and by the triumph in Christ of the holy Polyeuctes, that they would year by year keep his day, and read the record with care. But Timotheus received that record, and deposited it in the church, wherein it is read twice a year, on the fourth day before the ides of January,¹⁴ the day on which the holy Polyeuctes suffered, and on the eighth day before the calends of January,¹⁵ when his holy blood was deposited in the city of the Cananeots. But may the beneficent God who presides over the contests of His martyrs, establish us also and make us the foundation stones of His churches in Christ Jesus, imperishable God, with the Holy Spirit, to whom glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

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