# Martyrdom of Polycarp 15.2

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:332; 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 5:1040c–1041a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/15/2/

Summary: The flames formed an arch around Polycarp without consuming him, and a sweet fragrance filled the air.

## Greek text

τὸ γὰρ πῦρ καμάρας εἶδος ποιῆσαν, ὥσπερ ὀθόνη πλοίου ὑπὸ πνεύματος πληρουμένη, κύκλῳ περιετείχισεν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ μάρτυρος· καὶ ἦν μέσον οὐχ ὡς σὰρξ καιομένη, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἄρτος ὀπτώμενος ἢ ὡς χρυσὸς καὶ ἄργυρος ἐν καμίνῳ πυρούμενος. καὶ γὰρ εὐωδίας τοσαύτης ἀντελαβόμεθα, ὡς λιβανωτοῦ πνέοντος ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τιμίων ἀρωμάτων.

## English translation (Claude)

For the fire, taking the shape of a vaulted room, like a ship's sail filled by the wind, made a wall around the body of the martyr; and he was in the middle, not like flesh burning, but like bread baking, or like gold and silver being refined in a furnace. And we caught such a fragrance as of incense rising, or some other precious spice.

## Scripture references

- 1 Pet 1:7: echo, low confidence
- 2 Cor 2:15: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “Like bread baking”: some readers see a Eucharistic image; the comparison with refined gold and silver recalls the testing of faith by fire.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 15.2 (PG 5:1040c–1041a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/15/2/).