Chapter III.—The constancy of...

Chapter III.—The constancy of Germanicus. The death of Polycarp is demanded.

For the devil did indeed invent many things against them; but thanks be to God, he could not prevail over all. For the most noble Germanicus strengthened the timidity of others by his own patience, and fought heroically 425 with the wild beasts. For, when the proconsul sought to persuade him, and urged him 426 to p. 40 take pity upon his age, he attracted the wild beast towards himself, and provoked it, being desirous to escape all the more quickly from an unrighteous and impious world. But upon this the whole multitude, marvelling at the nobility of mind displayed by the devout and godly race of Christians, 427 cried out, “Away with the Atheists; let Polycarp be sought out!”