Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp & others · a new plain-English translation from the original language
This account was copied out by Gaius from the writings of Irenaeus, who had lived and worked alongside Irenaeus, a disciple of the holy Polycarp. This same Irenaeus, at the time of the martyrdom of Bishop Polycarp, was in Rome, where he taught many people. A number of his writings survive, most excellent and thoroughly sound, in which he makes mention of Polycarp — that he had learned from him — and in them he refutes every heresy with great competence, and hands down the rule of the church, the catholic rule, just as he received it from the holy man. He also tells this story: that Marcion, from whom come those called Marcionites, once met the holy Polycarp and said to him, "Recognize us, Polycarp," and Polycarp answered him, "I recognize you — I recognize the firstborn of Satan." Irenaeus’s own writings preserve another detail as well: at the precise day and hour Polycarp was martyred at Smyrna, Irenaeus himself, then residing in the city of Rome, heard what sounded like a trumpet-blast declaring, "Polycarp has suffered martyrdom." From these writings of Irenaeus, then, as has already been said, Gaius made his copy, and from the copies of Gaius, Isocrates in Corinth made his. And I, Pionius, in turn wrote out from the copies of Isocrates, seeking these things out in accordance with a revelation of the holy Polycarp, and gathering them together when they were already nearly worn away by time, so that the Lord Jesus Christ might gather me as well among his chosen, bringing me into his kingdom above the heavens; glory belongs to him, together with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen.
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