# Martyrdom of Polycarp 13.2

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:328–330; 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 5:1040a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/13/2/

Summary: Polycarp undressed for the pyre himself; the faithful had always honored him for his holy life.

## Greek text

ὅτε δὲ ἡ πυρκαϊὰ ἡτοιμάσθη, ἀποθέμενος ἑαυτῷ πάντα τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ λύσας τὴν ζώνην ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ ὑπολύειν ἑαυτόν, μὴ πρότερον τοῦτο ποιῶν διὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἕκαστον τῶν πιστῶν σπουδάζειν, ὅστις τάχιον τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτοῦ ἅψηται· παντὶ γὰρ καλῷ ἀγαθῆς ἕνεκεν πολιτείας καὶ πρὸ τῆς μαρτυρίας ἐκεκόσμητο.

## English translation (Claude)

When the pyre was ready, he took off all his outer garments himself, loosened his belt, and tried also to take off his shoes, though he had not done this before, because each of the faithful was always eager to be the first to touch his skin; for he had been adorned with every good thing because of his good way of life, even before his martyrdom.

## Translation notes

- “Way of life” (πολιτεία): literally “citizenship,” one's conduct as a member of a community.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 13.2 (PG 5:1040a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/13/2/).