# Martyrdom of Polycarp 12.2

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:328; 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 5:1037b–1037c (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/12/2/

Summary: The crowd called Polycarp the destroyer of their gods and demanded a lion, but the games were over.

## Greek text

τούτου λεχθέντος ὑπὸ τοῦ κήρυκος, ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος ἐθνῶν τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων τῶν τὴν Σμύρναν κατοικούντων ἀκατασχέτῳ θυμῷ καὶ μεγάλῃ φωνῇ ἐπεβόα· Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς Ἀσίας διδάσκαλος, ὁ πατὴρ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ὁ τῶν ἡμετέρων θεῶν καθαιρέτης, ὁ πολλοὺς διδάσκων μὴ θύειν μηδὲ προσκυνεῖν. ταῦτα λέγοντες ἐπεβόων καὶ ἠρώτων τὸν Ἀσιάρχην Φίλιππον, ἵνα ἐπαφῇ τῷ Πολυκάρπῳ λέοντα. ὁ δὲ ἔφη, μὴ εἶναι ἐξὸν αὐτῷ, ἐπειδὴ πεπληρώκει τὰ κυνηγέσια.

## English translation (Claude)

When this had been said by the herald, the whole multitude of Gentiles and Jews living in Smyrna cried out with uncontrollable rage and in a loud voice, “This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, who teaches many not to sacrifice or to worship.” Saying this, they shouted and asked the Asiarch Philip to let a lion loose on Polycarp. But he said that he was not permitted to do so, since he had closed the animal hunts.

## Translation notes

- “Asiarch”: a leading official of the province of Asia connected with the imperial cult and the public games; in 21.1 Philip is called high priest.
- The letter's repeated statements about the Jews of Smyrna (12.2; 13.1; 17.2; 18.1) reflect local conflict and are partly shaped by the Gospel Passion narratives; their historical accuracy is debated.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 12.2 (PG 5:1037b–1037c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/12/2/).