Martyrdom of Polycarp XXII

We wish you, brethren, all happiness, while you walk according to the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ; with whom be glory to God the Father and the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of His holy elect, after whose example the blessed Polycarp suffered, following in whose steps may we too be found in the kingdom of Jesus Christ! These things Caius transcribed from the copy of Irenæus (who was a disciple of Polycarp), having himself been intimate with Irenæus. And I Socrates transcribed them at Corinth from the copy of Caius. Grace be with you all. And I again, Pionius, wrote them from the previously written copy, having carefully searched into them, and the blessed Polycarp having manifested them to me through a revelation, even as I shall show in what follows. I have collected these things, when they had almost faded away through the lapse of time, that the Lord Jesus Christ may also gather me along with His elect into His heavenly kingdom, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Footnote 396: Some read, “Philadelphia,” but on inferior authority. Philomelium was a city of Phrygia. Footnote 397: The word in the original is παροικίαις, from which the English “parishes” is derived. Footnote 398: Literally, “who are more pious.” Footnote 399: The account now returns to the illustration of the statement made in the first sentence. Footnote 400: 1 Cor. ii. 9. Footnote 401: Or, “illustriously.” Footnote 402: Or, “said to him.” Footnote 403: Literally, “the nobleness of the God-loving and God-fearing race of Christians.” Footnote 404: Comp. Matt. x. 23. Footnote 405: It was the duty of the Irenarch to apprehend all seditious troublers of the public peace. Footnote 406: Some think that those magistrates bore this name that were elected by lot. Footnote 407: That is, on Friday. Footnote 408: Comp. Matt. xxvi. 55. Footnote 409: Or, “in.” Footnote 410: Some read, “the Lord.” Footnote 411: Comp. Matt. vi. 10; Acts xxi. 14. Footnote 412: Or, “diligence.” Footnote 413: Jacobson reads, “and [marvelling] that they had used so great diligence to capture,” etc. Footnote 414: Or, “be silent.” Footnote 415: Jacobson deems these words an interpolation. Footnote 416: Or, “Cæsar is Lord,” all the MSS. having κύριος instead of κύριε, as usually printed. Footnote 417: Or, “terrible.” Footnote 418: Or, “cast him down” simply, the following words being, as above, an interpolation. Footnote 419: Or, “sprained his ankle.” Footnote 420: Or, “not turning back.” Footnote 421: Referring the words to the heathen, and not to the Christians, as was desired. Footnote 422: Or, “an account of Christianity.” Footnote 423: Comp. Rom. xiii. 1-7; Tit. iii. 1. Footnote 424: Or, “of my making any defence to them.” Footnote 425: Literally, “repentance from things better to things worse is a change impossible to us.” Footnote 426: That is, to leave this world for a better. Footnote 427: Some read, “ungodliness,” but the above seems preferable. Footnote 428: The Asiarchs were those who superintended all arrangements connected with the games in the several provinces. Footnote 429: Literally, “the baiting of dogs.” Footnote 430: Literally, “good behaviour.” Footnote 431: Some think this implies that Polycarp’s skin was believed to possess a miraculous efficacy. Footnote 432: Comp. Matt. xx. 22, xxvi. 39; Mark x. 38. Footnote 433: Literally, “in a fat,” etc. Footnote 434: Literally, “the not false and true God.” Footnote 435: Eusebius (_Hist. Eccl._ iv. 15) has preserved a great portion of this Martyrium, but in a text considerably differing from that we have followed. Here, instead of “and,” he has “in the Holy Ghost.” Footnote 436: Literally, “a great flame shining forth.” Footnote 437: Literally, “breathing.” Footnote 438: Eusebius omit…