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 §11.2

Will Nielsen
January 3rd, 2008
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Translation

2 And again the proconsul spoke to him, “I order [a] you to be consumed by fire unless you should repent.”

“The fire you threaten with is burned for a short time [b] and after a little while goes out. For you do not know the fire [c] of imminent judgment and eternal punishment reserved [d] for the godless,” Polycarp responded. “But why hold back? Bring what you will.” [e]

[a] While ποιῶ is generally to do or to make, here the context is clear that proconsuls do not build the fires nor unleash the animals but they give orders for these things to be done.

[b] πρὸς ὥραν lit., for an hour. ὥρα, of course, may be used figuratively to mean a short period of time (BAGD, 896).

[c] The syntax here (τὸ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως καὶ αἰωνίου κολάσεως τοῖς ἀσεβέσι τηρούμενον πῦρ) would be something to “the-of-imminent-judgment-and-eternal-punishment-reserved-for-the-godless-fire.” Everything between the article τὸ and πῦρ is serving as a sort of great hyphenated attributive.

[d] τηρέω communicates that this eternal fire is reserved for the ungodly and that it also will keep guard or watch over them, ensuring they do not escape (BAGD, 814).

[e] In this very dramatic moment, φέρε ὃ βούλει might well be translated “Bring it on!”

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