bishop of Smyrna
Every quotation from Polycarp that a player meets in Scholar’s Dream, attached to the move that says it. Or see them as a plain list →
In Scholar’s Dream, books argue with each other, and each thing a book can do in a debate is called a move. Every quote below is spoken by one of those moves. Open “How it works in the game” under a quote to see the move, which books learn it, and which arguments it answers best.
“Eighty and six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”
Martyrdom of Polycarp 9 (public domain trans.).public domain
In the game"Eighty and six years…" Strikes half again as hard when the book is nearly spent.
Learned byPolycarp (Lv 1)
“And why then have I delivered myself over to death, unto fire, unto sword, unto wild beasts? But near to the sword, near to God; in company with wild beasts, in company with God.”
Ignatius, To the Smyrnaeans 4.2 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized) — a letter Polycarp himself collected and sent on.public domain
“There was Peter, who by reason of unrighteous jealousy endured not one but many labours, and thus having borne his testimony went to his appointed place of glory.”
1 Clement 5.3–4 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).public domain
In the gameThe record of those who died rather than recant. Nobody dies for what they know they made up. No rhetorical fog can blur it.
Learned byPolycarp (Lv 15)
Paley’s first proposition is that the apostles suffered for what they reported. He cites Clement, Ignatius and Polycarp as witnesses.
Longer excerpts the Scriptorium holds on screen for a player to sit and read, word for word.
from Polycarp“…forasmuch as you know that it is by grace you are saved, not of works, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.”
Polycarp, To the Philippians 1.3 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).
from Polycarp“For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is antichrist; and whosoever shall not confess the testimony of the Cross is of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the firstborn of Satan.”
Polycarp, To the Philippians 7.1 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).
from Polycarp“Let us therefore without ceasing hold fast by our hope and by the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, who took up our sins in his own body upon the tree, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, but for our sakes he endured all things, that we might live in him.”
Polycarp, To the Philippians 8.1 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).
from Polycarp“But he who cannot govern himself in these things, how does he enjoin this upon another?”
Polycarp, To the Philippians 11.2 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).
from Polycarp“Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings and powers and princes, and for them that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest among all men, that you may be perfect in him.”
Polycarp, To the Philippians 12.3 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).
Moves these books can learn whose quotation comes from somebody else. The citation on each one names who actually said it.
“He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.”
Matthew 27:14 (WEB); cf. Isaiah 53:7.
In the gameSay nothing. Convinces no one — but the next argument lands harder. Raises the user’s Contend, after the pattern of Christ’s silence before his accusers.
Learned byPolycarp (Lv 6)
“He truly suffered, even as he also truly raised himself — not, as some unbelievers say, that he suffered in semblance.”
Ignatius, To the Smyrnaeans 2 (trans. Lightfoot, public domain, lightly modernized).public domain
In the gameIf he only seemed to suffer, martyrs die for a phantom.
Learned byPolycarp (Lv 12)
Paley quotes Ignatius’s letter to the Smyrnaeans as an early witness that the apostles saw and touched the risen Christ.
Ignatius went to his death for Christ. Martyrs do not die to honour a holy man’s memory. They die for a Lord who truly suffered and truly rose.
Ignatius wrote this on his way to die for Christ. If Christ only seemed to suffer, Ignatius was dying for a shadow, and he knew it.
Ignatius wrote this letter to Polycarp’s own church at Smyrna. Polycarp sent Ignatius’s letters on to Philippi (chapter 13).
Real, sourced quotations found while researching Polycarp’s books for the game. They are not shown anywhere in the game itself.
"…forasmuch as ye know that it is by grace ye are saved, not of works, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ."
Polycarp, To the Philippians 1.3 (Lightfoot).
"But he who cannot govern himself in these things, how doth he enjoin this upon another?"
To the Philippians 11.2 (Lightfoot).
"Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings and powers and princes and for them that persecute and hate you and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest among all men, that ye may be perfect in Him."
To the Philippians 12.3 (Lightfoot).
"The letters of Ignatius which were sent to us by him, and others as many as we had by us, we send unto you, according as ye gave charge; the which are subjoined to this letter; from which ye will be able to gain great advantage."
To the Philippians 13.2 (Lightfoot).
"For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is antichrist… and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the firstborn of Satan."
To the Philippians 7.1 (Lightfoot).
Polycarp against everyone else in the game.
