Section 176
The text on this page is estimated to be only 27.93% accurate
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. H5 understood also that they were come, as it is said, he descended and addressed the men with a very cheerful and mild counte nance, so that those who did not know him before, thought they beheld a miracle, as they beheld the advanced age of the man, the gravity and firmness of his countenance, and were surprised that so much zeal should be exercised to seize a venerable old man like this. He, however, without hesitation, ordered a table to be immediately prepared for the men ; then requests them to partake of food largely, and begged of them only one hour, that he might pray undisturbed. As they gave him permission, he arose and prayed, so full of the grace of the Lord, that those pre sent who heard him were amazed, and many of them now re pented, that so venerable and pious a man should be put to death. Beside these things, the abovementioned epistle respecting him pursues the narrative as follows : " But after he had ended praying, and had in this remembered all that had ever been connected with him, small and great, noble and obscure, and the whole catholic (universal) church through out the world, when the hour come for him to go, they placed him upon an ass and conducted him to the city, it being a great Sabbath-day.* He was met by Herod, who was the irenarch,f and his father Nicetes ; who, taking him into their vehicle, per suaded him to take a seat with them, and said, " For what harm is there in saying Lord Cesar, and to sacrifice, and thus save your life ?" He, however, did not at first make any reply ; but as they persevered, he said, " I shall not do what you advise me." Failing, therefore, to persuade him, they uttered dreadful language, arid thrust him down from the car with great vehemence, so that as he descended from the car he sprained his thigh. But not at all moved from his purpose, as if nothing had happened, he eagerly went on, and was conducted to the stadium. But as there was so great an uproar in the place that not many could hear, a voice came from heaven to Polycarp as he entered the stadium : " Be strong, Polycarp, and contend manfully." No one saw who it * The great Sabbath was the feast of unleavened bread, which immediately pre ceded the passover. See Beverege in Can. Apost. f The irenarch, as the name implies, was an officer to preserve the public peaca. T