Chapter 9

Now when Polycarp entered into the arena there came a voice from heaven: Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man. And no one saw the speaker, but our friends who were there heard the voice. And next he was brought forward, and there was a great uproar of those who heard that Polycarp had been arrested.

Therefore when he was brought forward the Pro-Consul asked him if he were Polycarp, and when he admitted it he tried to persuade him to deny, saying: Respect your age, and so forth, as they are accustomed to say Swear by the genius of Caesar, repent, say: Away with the Atheists; but Polycarp, with a stern countenance looked on all the crowd of lawless heathen in the arena, and waving his hand at them, he groaned and looked up to heaven and said: Away with the Atheists.

But when the Pro-Consul pressed him and said: Take the oath and I let you go, revile Christ, Polycarp said: For eighty and six years have I been his servant, and he has done me no wrong, and how can I blaspheme my King who saved me?