Nielsen’s Nook

Nielsen’s Nook
Nielsen’s Nook
Contemplative, reflective, and irenic we pray.
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Translation and Commentary on The Martyrdom of Polycarp §8.1

Will Nielsen
December 19th, 2007
Tags: • • • • •

Translation

1 And when at last he brought his prayer to rest [a] - after remembering everyone with whom he had met [b] at any time, both small and large, glorious and obscure, and all the catholic church worldwide - when his hour came to depart, sitting down on a she-donkey they led him into the city. It was a high sabbath. [c]

[a] κατέπαυσε (καταπαύω) to stop, bring to an end; bring to rest. (BAGD, 416). This is the same word used in §1 where Polycarp’s martyrdom is said to “punctuate” the string of martyrdoms at the time; hence, bringing them to rest or cessation.

[b] συμβεβληκότων (συμβάλλω) lit. to throw in with. This intransitive use speaks of those St. Polycarp happened to meet. (c.f., BAGD, 777)

[c] §8.1 is a sentence consisting of seven phrases, six of which are participial. Unless one is an inebriated English speaker, English is not employed in this way and so we have broken it up a bit here.

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