to do so.

Wherefore, commending the love of the brethren in that place, he sailed forward. For one whole day and night, then, we were hurried on by a favourable wind. To us, this was a subject of sorrow, inasmuch as we were grieved at our approaching separation from that holy man; but to him it was the accomplishment of his prayers, that he might the sooner depart out of this world, and attain unto the Lord whom he loved. Wherefore sailing into the Roman port, as that impure festival was approaching to an end, the soldiers began to be offended at our slowness, but the Bishop, with great joy, complied with their haste.

6. Being therefore hurried from the place which is called the Port, we forthwith met the brethren; for the report respecting the holy martyr was already spread abroad, who were full of fear and joy. For they rejoiced in that God had vouchsafed them the company of Theophorus, but were afraid when they considered that such an one was brought thither to die. Some of these who were the most zealous (for his safety), and promised

This abrupt and inartificial change from the third to the first person is a strong internal mark of genuineness. It is exactly similar to that in Acts xvi. 8, 10. "And they passing by Mysia, came down to Troas. And after he had seen the vision, we immediately endeavoured to go into Macedonia." The first incidental intimation that St. Luke there became the companion of St. Paul.

to calm the people, that they should not desire the destruction of the just, he commanded to hold their peace: for he presently knew this by the Spirit, and saluted them all, intreating them to shew true love towards him; expressing himself in discourse more fully even than he had in his epistle, and persuading them not to hinder him who was hastening to the Lord. And so, all the brethren kneeling down, he prayed to the Son of God for the Church, that he would cause the persecution to cease, and (continue) the love of the brethren towards each other. (This being done,) he was hurried away with all haste into the amphitheatre, and was immediately thrown in, according to the previous command of Cæsar, the end of the spectacles being at hand. For it was then a very solemn day, called in the Roman tongue the thirteenth (of the Calends of January), upon which the people were more than ordinarily wont to be gathered together. Thus was he delivered to the wild beasts, near the Temple, that so the desire of the holy martyr Ignatius might be accomplished, as it is written, the desire of the righteous is acceptable: " namely, that he might be burdensome to none of the brethren, by the gathering of his remains, according as in his epistle he had before wished that so his end might be. For only the more

h Prov. x. 24.

i

See Ignat. Epist. to Romans, 4.

h

solid parts of his holy remains were left, which were carried to Antioch, and wrapped in linen, as an inestimable treasure left to the holy Church, by the grace which was in the martyr.

We

7. Now these things were done the day before the thirteenth of the Calends of January, that is on the twentieth day of December, Sura and Senecius being the second time consuls of the Romans. ourselves were eye-witnesses of these events, with many tears; and as we watched all night in the house, and prayed God in many words, with bended knees and supplication, that he would give us weak men some assurance of what was before done, it happened that, having fallen into a slumber for a little while, some of us on a sudden saw the blessed Ignatius standing by us and embracing us and others beheld him praying for us; others saw him as it were dropping with sweat, as if he came out of great labour, and standing by the Lord. Having seen these things then with great joy, and comparing the visions of our dreams, we sang praises to God the giver of all good things, and pronounced the saint blessed; and have now made known unto you both the day and the time: that, being assembled together at the season of his martyrdom, we may communicate with the combatant and noble martyr of Christ, who trod under foot the Devil,

This corresponds to A.D. 107.

K

and perfected the course which he had piously desired, in Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom, all glory and power be to the Father with the Holy Spirit for ever. Amen.

THE

CIRCULAR EPISTLE OF THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA

CONCERNING

THE MARTYRDOM

OF

ST. POLYCAR P.

THE Church of God which is at Smyrna to the Church of God which is at Philadelphia, and to all the other assemblies of the holy and Catholic Church, in every place; mercy, peace, and love from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied.

1. We have written unto you, brethren, respecting the other martyrs, and (especially) the blessed Polycarp, who by his martyrdom has set, as it were, his seal, and put an end to the persecution. For almost all things that went before were

Eusebius, Eccles. Hist. iv. 15. has preserved the substance of this Epistle, from another copy, sent to the Church of Philomelium in Phrygia. He has transcribed the Epistle from c. 8. to the middle of c. 19, with some variations from the present Greek copy.