E00008: The Greek Martyrdom of *Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004), of the 2nd/3rd c., recounts various miracles accompanying the arrest and martyrdom of Polycarp/Polykarpos. Written in Smyrna (western Asia Minor).
Creators: name: Admin, CSLA
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2014
Subjects: History

description: Martyrdom of Polycarp (BHG 1556)<br><br>For an overview of the Martyrdom of Polykarpos, see $E00035.<br><br><br>Polycarp's arrest and execution: <br><br>Hearing that the authorities are after him, Polycarp reluctantly flies to a farm near the city, where he spends some time praying and has a vision foretelling his martyrdom. The vision is described as follows:<br><br>(5.2) καὶ προσευχόμενος ἐν ὀπτασίᾳ γέγονεν πρὸ τριῶν ἡμερῶν τοῦ συλληφθῆναι αὐτὸν καὶ εἶδεν τὸ προσκεφάλαιον αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ πυρὸς κατακαιόμενον. καὶ στραφεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς τοὺς συνόντας αὐτῷ· δεῖ με ζῶντα καυθῆναι.<br><br>'(5.2) And while praying, he fell into a trance, three days before he was arrested. And he saw his pillow burning with fire. And he turned and said prophetically to those who were with him: "I am to be burned alive."'<br><br><br>After his arrest, Polycarp is brought to the stadium of Smyrna to be tried and executed. The trial is attended by pagans, Jews and Christians. He then hears a voice from heaven:<br><br>(8.3) … ἐπορεύετο ἀγόμενος εἰς τὸ στάδιον θορύβου τηλικούτου ὄντος ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ, ὡς μηδὲ ἀκουσθῆναί τινα δύνασθαι. (9.1) τῷ δὲ Πολυκάρπῳ εἰσιόντι εἰς τὸ στάδιον φωνὴ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐγένετο· ἴσχυε, Πολύκαρπε, καὶ ἀνδρίζου. καὶ τὸν μὲν εἰπόντα οὐδεὶς εἶδεν, τὴν δὲ φωνὴν τῶν ἡμετέρων οἱ παρόντες ἤκουσαν. ...<br><br>'(8.3) … he walked into the stadium led by them. There was so much tumult in the stadium that one could not here even their own voice. (9.1) And as Polycarp entered into the stadium, a voice came to him from heaven: "Be strong, Polycarp, and act like a man!" No one saw who spoke, but those of our people being present heard the voice.'<br><br><br>After failing to convince him to sacrifice, pagans and Jews ask that Polycarp be burnt alive, confirming his prophetic vision:<br><br>(12.3) τότε ἔδοξεν αὐτοῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐπιβοῆσαι, ὥστε τὸν Πολύκαρπον ζῶντα κατακαῦσαι. ἔδει γὰρ τὸ τῆς φανερωθείσης ἐπὶ τοῦ προσκεφαλαίου ὀπτασίας πληρωθῆναι, ὅτε ἰδὼν αὐτὸ καιόμενον προσευχόμενος, εἶπεν ἐπιστραφεὶς τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ πιστοῖς προφητικῶς· δεῖ με ζῶντα καυθῆναι.<br><br>'(12.3) Then they decided to shout aloud in unison that Polycarp be burned alive. For the message of the pillow vision revealed to him had to be fulfilled, when he saw it burn up, while praying, and turned and said prophetically to the faithful around him: "I am to be burned alive."'<br><br><br>Polycarp is tied onto the pyre, says a prayer, and the fire is lit:<br><br>(15.1) ἀναπέμψαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀμὴν καὶ πληρώσαντος τὴν εὐχήν, οἱ τοῦ πυρὸς ἄνθρωποι ἐξῆψαν τὸ πῦρ. μεγάλης δὲ ἐκλαμψάσης φλογός θαῦμα εἴδομεν, οἷς ἰδεῖν ἐδόθη· οἳ καὶ ἐτηρήθημεν εἰς τὸ ἀναγγεῖλαι τοῖς λοιποῖς τὰ γενόμενα. <br><br>(15.2) τὸ γὰρ πῦρ καμάρας εἶδος ποιῆσαν ὥσπερ ὀθόνη πλοίου ὑπὸ πνεύματος πληρουμένη, κύκλῳ περιετείχισεν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ μάρτυρος· καὶ ἦν μέσον οὐχ ὡς σὰρξ καιομένη, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἄρτος ὀπτώμενος ἢ ὡς χρυσὸς καὶ ἄργυρος ἐν καμίνῳ πυρούμενος. καὶ γὰρ εὐωδίας τοσαύτης ἀντελαβόμεθα ὡς λιβανωτοῦ πνέοντος ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τιμίων ἀρωμάτων.<br><br>(16.1.) πέρας γοῦν ἰδόντες οἱ ἄνομοι μὴ δυνάμενον αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς δαπανηθῆναι, ἐκέλευσαν προσελθόντα αὐτῷ κομφέκτορα παραβῦσαι ξιφίδιον. καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντος, ἐξῆλθεν περιστερὰ καὶ πλῆθος αἵματος ὥστε κατασβέσαι τὸ πῦρ καὶ θαυμάσαι πάντα τὸν ὄχλον, εἰ τοσαύτη τις διαφορὰ μεταξὺ τῶν τε ἀπίστων καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν·<br><br><br>'(15.1) As he offered up his 'Amen' and finished his prayer, the men in charge of the fire lit the fire. And as a great flame blazed forth, those of us to whom it was granted to see saw a miracle (θαῦμα, thauma), and we were indeed preserved to announce what happened to the rest.<br><br>(15.2) For the fire formed into the shape of a vault, like a ship’s sail filled by the wind, walling around the body of the martyr body. And it was in the middle, not as flesh burning, but as bread baking, or as gold and silver refined in a furnace. For we experienced such strong fragrance, like a waft of incense or some other of the costly spices.<br> <br>(16.1) Eventually, when the lawless realised that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they ordered an executioner to go up and plunge a dagger into his body. When he did this, a dove came out and an abundance of blood, so that it quenched the fire. And the whole crowd marvelled that there should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect.'<br><br><br>Text: Hartog 2013. Translation: E. Rizos (using Hartog 2013).