# Martyrdom of Polycarp 11.1

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:326; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 2, LCL 25 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1913), 312–345 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Also in: PG 5:1037a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/11/1/

Summary: Threatened with the beasts, Polycarp said that Christians cannot change from better to worse.

## Greek text

Ὁ δὲ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν· Θηρία ἔχω, τούτοις σε παραβαλῶ, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Κάλει, ἀμετάθετος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω μετάνοια· καλὸν δὲ μετατίθεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν χαλεπῶν ἐπὶ τὰ δίκαια.

## English translation (Claude)

The proconsul said, “I have wild beasts; I will throw you to them unless you change your mind.” He said, “Call them. For a change of mind from better to worse is impossible for us; but it is good to change from what is cruel to what is just.”

## Translation notes

- The proconsul uses the Christian word for repentance (μετανοέω, “change one's mind, repent”), and Polycarp answers him in the same terms.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 11.1 (PG 5:1037a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/11/1/).