Polycarp was a true hero. He was a man of great faith who joked with his executioners facing martyrdom. When given the opportunity to renounce his faith, he was asked to repeat a state creed renouncing Christ which began "Away with the atheists!" (Christians worshipped no visible gods and consequentlywere charged with atheism by the Romans). Polycarp waved his hand and looked around at the people in the arena and sardonically said "away with the atheists." I have always admired the guy who spits in the face of death, and have had a weird romantic attachment to people like that, who can make fun of his own death, saying essentially "bring it on." He then gave a MOVING testimony to his faith in Christ. As he was dying, there are stories that he received a "vision" or a sensate experience of the presence of Christ. I was moved by the story, and hope to die as well as he does, whether or not it is as a "martyr."
FWIW, suicide bombers have that same attitude.