Valbsius (on Euseb. Butt. Eccles. iv. 15.) is of opinion, from the •conclusion of this Epistle, in which the martyrdom of Polycarp is said So have taken place “when Philip was chief pries^*’ that one «nly was appointed. In Acts nix. 31. mention is made of * certain pf the chiefs of Asia,” QAtna^xdv') whence Abp. Usher concludes these were move than one. But tnose who had once discharged the •office might still be called by the name, as was sometimes the ease Sfith the Jewish High Priests.
The office was accompanied with gveat expense. For winch meson £tr*bo says that the Asiarch was often chosen, as in this instancy /Sect. $1^) from the opulent cirisens of Tralles. **i $1 rtm If fTfcX&tsvS*’) tiff Iir alapftnxfams KStriLTbrj*apx/u» sis x oArt w l 09 BOLYCARP.
lit touch Us flesh. For he was adorned by Us good con- versation with all kinds of piety, even before hie mar- tyrdom^ Immediately then they put upon him the instruments r which were prepared for the pile. But when they would also hare nailed him to thto stake, he said, * Leave me thus; for he who hath given me strength to endure the Are, will also enable me, without your securing me by nails, to remain without moving in the pile.’
14. Wherefore they did not nail him, but hound him (to the stake). But he, having put his hands behind him, and being bound as a ram, (chosen) out of a great flock for an offering, and prepared to be a burnt sacri* flee, acceptable unto God, looked up to heaven,. and said, ‘O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy well- beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee; the God of angels and powers and of every creature, and (especi- ally) of the whole race of just men, who live in thy presence; I give thee hearty thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to bring me to this day and to this hour; that I should have a part in the number of thy martyrs, in the Gup of thy Christ, unto the resurrection of eter- nal life, both of soul and body, in the incorruption of the Holt Spirit: among which may I be accepted this day before thee, as a fat and acceptable sacrifice, ns thou hast before ordained, and declared, and fulfilled* even thou the true Gqd with whom is no falsehood at all. For this and for all things else, I praise thee, I bless thee, with the eternal and heavenly Jesus Christ* thy beloved Son, with whom to thee and the Holy Ghost be gloiy* both now and to all succeeding ages. Amen.’* « Eusebius has, " For, -even before be was grey-headed* (wpi wj* jro\tS() he was adorned in all things by his good conversation.* * Spyvva — the pitched shirt, in which the victim was wrapped, the eftakfe to which ne was bound, the nails, and other implement^ bp which he was secured.
* The conclusion of this prayer k differently -expressed in Euse- bius: “.Ear this, end for all things else, I praise thee, I bless thee, ^ glorify, thee, through the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ thg beloved Son, through whom, to Thee wkh Him, in the Holy GflO »T, be glory both now and to all succeeding ages. Amen;?
’The old Latin version agrees nearly with Knamuna. u Ob Dane 15. As soon as he had uttered 4 Amen/ and finished his prayer, the men appointed for the purpose lighted ihe fire. And when the flame began to blaze to a very great height, a wonderful sight appeared to us, who were permitted to witness it, and were also spared, to relate to others what had happened. For the flame, making a kind of arch, like the sail of a ship filled with wind, encompassed the body of the martyr, which was in the midst, not as flesh which was burned, but as bread which is baked, or a« gold or silver glowing in the furnace. Moreover we perceived as fragrant an odor, as if it came from frankincense, or.some other precious spices.
16. At length, when4hese wicked men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they com- manded the executioner* to go near, and pierce him with his sword. Which being accordingly done, there came forth 4 so great a quantity of blood, as extin* guished the fire, and raised an admiration among the people to consider what a difference there is between the infidels and the elect, one of which this admirable martyr Polycarp was, being in our times a truly apos- tolical and prophetical teacher, and the Bishop of the Catholic Church which is at Smyrna. For every word that proceeded out of his mouth either is (already) ful- filled, or will (in due time) be accomplished.
rem te benedico in omnibus, et glorior, per sternum, Pontificem omnipotentem Jesum Christum, per quern tibi, et cum ipso, et cum Spiritu Sancto, gloria nunc, et in futurum, et in sscula saeculorum. Amen” • Both the Greek text and Eusebius, have here the Latin word fioiKffacnpa. The confectores were persons appointed to kill the wild beasts, at the public games j if there was any apprehension of their injuring the people. They differed from the bestiarii, who fought with the beasts, in somewhat the same manner as the matador does ftom the combatant in the Spanish bull-lights.
* The original words hre i£rj\de mpiorlpa xal trXfiOos alparot. 1 Thera eame forth a dove, and a quantity of blood. 1 Eusebius, and his translator Rufjnus, make no mention of this prodigy; and no tradi- tion of the kind is contained in any ancient Christian writer. It has been conjectured, with some probability, that the word rsptaripa is an error for fa’ dpitrrtM, ‘ on the leftside so that the sentence would be to this effect, “ When the executioner wounded him with the sword, ttbere came forth from the wound, which was inflicted in his left aide, Ancha quantity of blood, as extinguished the fire.”
Or POLYCAR*.
Or POLYCAR*.
17. But when the emulous and envious and wicked adversary of the race of the just saw the greatness of his martyrdom,.and considered how blameless bis conversation had been from the beginning, and that he was now crowned with the crown of immortality, having without all controversy received his reward, he took all care that not the least relic of his body should be taken away by us, although many desired to do it, and to have a share in his holy flesh. And to that end he suggested to Nicetus, the father of Herod, and brother of Alee, to go to the governor, and hinder him from giving his body to be buried: Jest, said he, for- saking him that was crucified, they should begin to worship this Polycarp. And this he said at the sug- gestion and instance of the Jews, who also watched us that we should not take him out of the fire: not con- sidering that it is impossible for us, either ever to for- sake Christ, who suffered for the salvation of all such as shall be saved throughout the whole worlds (the righteous for the ungodly),* or to worship any ‘other. For him indeed, as being the Son of God, we adore. But for the martyrs, we worthily love them,* as the disciples and imitators of our Lord, on account of their exceeding great love toward their Master and King; of whom may we also be made companions and fellow- disciples.
18. The centurion, therefore, seeing the contention' of the Jews, put his body into the midst of the fire, and burned it. After which, we, taking up his bones more precious than the richest jewels and tried above gold, deposited them where it was fitting. Where being u 1 Pet iii. 18. These words appear to be an interpolation. They are not found in Eusebius nor in the old Latin version.
* This valuable testimony of the Church of Smyrna, against ths adoration of Saints, agrees with the sentiments of Augustin; “Non sit nobis religio coitus hominum mojtuorutn? quia, si pi& vixerunt, non sic habentur ut tales qusrant honores: sed Ilium A nobis coll volunt, quo illuminante, Intantur merit! sui nos esse consortes. Ho- oocandi ergo sunt propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religi- onem.” {Let us not count the adoration of dead men a religious act; because, if they lived piously, they are not so thought of as if they desired such honors: but they wish us to adore Him, by whose illu- mination they rejoice that we are made partakers of His merits. They ■re therefore to be honored for their example's sake, not worshipped as A matter of religion.] Augupstin, Do Vert c. 5ft.
118 THE MARTYRDOM 18L gathered together as we have opportunity, with joy and gladness, the Lord will grant unto us to, celebrate the anniversary y of his martyrdom, both in memory of f riiv to 9 paprvpiov avrod fipepav yevffik tov } 1 the birth-day of his mar- tyrdom.’ — The celebration of the anniversary of the day on which a martyr suffered began thus to be observed, early in the second century. At the end of the fourth, and in the beginning of the fifth century, wo ffnd from Chrysostom and Theodoret { Serm. viii. de Martyribvs) that these days were greatly increased in number. There are extaat sixteen homilies of Chrysostom, preached on different days set apart for such commemoration 9. Bingham, Eccles. Ant. xiii. 9. 5. quotes Chrysostom, (Horn. xl. in Jubentinum,) to prove that the festival of Babylas and Jubentinus then occurred on two successive days. The passage, however, merely implies that the festival of Babylas occurred $oon before that of Jubentinus: the one, indeed, on the 4th of Sep- tember, the other on the 25th of January.
r O paitdptos Bay Sv\as ir p <or)v ijpas tvravOa perh iratSuv rpftov trtnHf- yayt' erfjfupov crpaTicoTuiv (vvioplq iyitov, rd rov Xpurrod erparfnJor W rife xapartfsas Irmas*, Chrysos. Horn, in Juventin. Tom. V. p. 533. Cavil.
Chrysostom makes the same kind of allusion to the previous festi- val of Pelagia, on the 8th of October, in his Homily upon the Martyr- dom qf Ignatius, on the 20th of December.
• Ilptu 17 r yovv fi/jtui x 6 pn Kopidrj via teal dmip 6 yapos h paxapta phprvf UiXayia pirh iroXXfc rfjs cifpocvvris eiariaae' efipepov iraXiv rif $ toprUs i paxdpiof o$to$ koI yevvaTos p aprvs I yvdnos iteMj-aro. CHRY8. Horn, in Ignat. Tom. V, p. 498. Savil.
The asily two festivals which appear to have occurred on consecu- tive days in the Eastern Church, in the time of Chrysostom, were those of Romanus and Barlaam on the 18th and 19th of November.
These anniversaries of the days on which the martyrs suffered were called their birth-days, as being the days on which they were freed from the trials of mortality, and barn, as it were, into the joys and happiness of heaven. Thus Tertolman (de Coron. Militi a, c. 3.)
• says, “ Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitiis annua die facimus.” [We make anniversary oblations for the dead on their birth-days.] Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, writing to his Presbyters and Deacons respecting their treatment of the Confessors, then in ‘prison, thus advises them; “Denique et dies eorum quibus excedunt annotate, ut commemorationes eorum inter memorias marly rum celebrare poesi* mus.” [Lastly, note the days of their departure, that we may be.able to celebrate their commemorations among the memorials of the mar- tyre.] Cyprian, Ep. xii. p. 27. (Fell.) And, in another Epistle to the same persons, he says, with reference to Laurentius and Ignatius 1 " Sacrificia pro eis semper, ut meministis, offeriinus, quoties marty- turn passiones et dies anniversaria commemoratione celebramus.’ 1 (We always offer sacrifices for them, as ye remember, as often as we celebrate the passions and days of the martyrs in our anniversary commemoration.] EpisL xxxix.p. 77. Fell.
After Cyprian himself had suffered for the faith, we find Peter Chrysologus, in his Sermon on the Martyrdom qf Cyprian, using 4b# like expressions; “ Nataiem sanctorum eftm audistis, ftatm^ Of POLYCARP.
those who have suffered, and for the exercise and pre- paration of those that may hereafter (suffer).
19. Such were the sufferings of the blessed Polycarp; who, though he was the twelfth of those who, together with them of Philadelphia, suffered martyrdom, in Smyrna, is yet alone chiefly had in memory of all men; insomuch that he is spoken of by the very Gentiles themselves in every place, as having been not only an eminent teacher, but also a glorious martyr. Whose death all desire to imitate, as having been in all things conformable to the Gospel of Christ. For having by patience overcome the unjust governor, and so received the crown of immortality, he noW, together with the apostles' and all other righteous men, with great triumph glorifies God even the Father, and blesses our Lord the Governor of our (souls and) bodies, 1 and the nolite putare ilium <3ici, quo pascuntur in terrain de earns; sed d* lerrA in coeluro, de labore ad requiem, de tentationibus ad quietem, de cruciatibua ad delicias, non fluxas sed fortes et stabiles et oternas, da mundSxns risibus ad coronain et gloriam. Tales notates diet marty- rum celebrantur.” [When ye bear of a birth-day of saints, brethren, do not thiuk that that is spoken of) in which they are born on earth, of the flesh; but (that in which they are born) from earth into heaven, from labor to rest, from temptations to repose, from torments to de- lights, not fluctuating, but strong and stable and eternal, from tb* derision of the world to a crown and glory. Such are the birth-days of the martyrs that we celebrate.]
In the time of Constantine, the* observation of the festivals of the martyrs was enforced by a decree of the Emperor. Eoseb. de ViL Constant, iv. 23.
The manner of celebrating the memories of the Martyrs and Con- fessors, in the primitive Church, was this.
On the anniversary day, the [>eople assembled, sometimes at the tombs where the martyrs had been buried. They then publicly praised Gen for those who had glorified him by their sufferings and death; recited the history of their martyrdom, and heard a sermon preached in commemoration of their patience and Christian virtues. They offered up fervent prayers to God, and celebrated the Eucharist, in commemoration of Christ’s passion, and gave alms to the poor.
They kept also a public festival, provided by general contribution, to which the poorer brethren were freely admitted. In the early ages these feasts were frugal and temperate; but afterward degenerated into excess.
* The Greek has Kv@tpvf\rr\v r«3 v euiparw The old Latin version has, 4 salvatorem animo nostro, gobernatorem corporum:* [Sa- viour of our sou), governor of (our) bodies:] and adds, at the conclu- sion of the sentence, *et Spiritum Sanctum, per quem cuncta cognescimus.’ [And the Holt Spirit, by whom we know sfl things.] • ^ooQle 190 the martyrdom [$20,21,32, Shepherd of the Catholic Church throughout the world.
90. Whereas, therefore, ye desired that we would at large declare to you what was done, we have for the present briefly signified it to you by our brother Marcus. When, therefore, ye have read this Epistle, eend it also to the brethren that are more remote, that they also may glorify God, who makes such choice of his own servants, and is able to bring us all by his grace and help to his eternal kingdom, through his only begotten Son Jesus Christ; to whom be glory, honor, might, and majesty, for ever and ever; Amen. Salute all the saints. They that are with us salute you i and Evarestus, who wrote this Epistle, with his whole house.
91. Now the martyrdom of the blessed Polycarp was on the second day of the month Xanthicus, that is the seventh of the Calends of May,* on the great Sabbath, about the eighth hour. He was taken by Herod, Philip the Trallian being the chief priest, b Statius Qiiadratus proconsul; but our Saviour Christ reigning for ever- more. To Him be honor, glory, majesty, and an eter- nal throne, from generation to generation; Amen.
22. We wish you, brethren, all happiness, by living according to the rule of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; with whom, glory be to God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of his chosen saints: after whose example the blessed Polycarp suffered; at whose feet may we Be found in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
This. Epistle was transcribed by Cains out of the copy of lrenaeus the disciple of Polycarp, who also lived and conversed with Irenseus. And I Socrates transcribed it at Corinth, out of the copy of the said Caius. Grace be with all.
After this, I Pionius again wrote it from the copy before mentioned, Polyearp having pointed it out to me * Tbs 26th of April > Or Anarch. Baa note on Sect 19.
OF POLYCARP.
by a revelation, as 1 shall declare in what follows; having gathered these things together, already almost corrupted by length of time: that Jesus Christ our Lord may also gather me together with his elect. To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ^lory for ever and ever. Amen.
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