Martyrdom of Polycarp

Lake, Loeb 1913

Chapter 9

Polycarp’s examination

Now when Polycarp entered into the arena there came a voice from heaven: “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.” And no one saw the speaker, but our friends who were there heard the voice. And next he was brought forward, and there was a great uproar of those who heard that Polycarp had been arrested.

Therefore when he was brought forward the Pro-Consul asked him if he were Polycarp, and when he admitted it he tried to persuade him to deny, saying: “Respect your age,” and so forth, as they are accustomed to say “Swear by the genius of Caesar, repent, say: “Away with the Atheists””; but Polycarp, with a stern countenance looked on all the crowd of lawless heathen in the arena, and waving his hand at them, he groaned and looked up to heaven and said: “Away with the Atheists.”

But when the Pro-Consul pressed him and said: “Take the oath and I let you go, revile Christ,” Polycarp said: “For eighty and six years¹ have I been his servant, and he has done me no wrong, and how can I blaspheme my King² who saved me?”

Notes

He was therefore probably a Christian born, unless we ascribe to him a quite improbable age.
βασιλεύς represents imperator not rex, and though it can hardly be translated “Emperor,” the antithesis to Caesar is clearly implied.