CAESAR'S FRIEND
After Pilate and Claudia had retired behind the curtains, the guards
took their places for the night. Inside the door to the left and right
a picked man of Pilate's body-guard stationed himself. An enormous
spear, which lifted its shining point like an ensign over his head, was
held by each soldier and shifted from hand to hand as these motionless
and silent men grew drowsy. In the outer hall soldiers of the Legion
stood on guard from the entrance into the inner room, down the long
corridor to the portico steps. In spite of orders that no word be
spoken in the hallway after Pilate had retired, these soldiers, knowing
his manner of sleep, made use of the night hours to discuss such
daytime gossip as had reached their ears. The comment began when news
was passed that Pilate had gone to sleep, and between the left guard
and the right guard a conversation took place which would have been
interesting to the public.
"Had I as much ripe wine in my paunch as hath the gracious Pilate, I
would also sleep."
"Aye. But by the shades of Caesar did not his sleep of yesternight
outmatch even the measure of his cups? Drank and drank did our master
Pilate until his eyes bulged and his tongue was pushed out of his
throat by the fulness thereof. And he did sleep and sleep until the
sun had started down next day."
"And were there not soldiers and priests and lawyers and centurions and
Senators clamoring to have speech with him? And did not Claudia pass
out the word that he was engaged in matters of importance to Tiberius?"
"Thou makest my inwards to shake with choked laughter when thou sayest
this--'business of importance to Tiberius.'"
"Yea--and wherefore the smothered laughter. Is not the important
business of Caesar Tiberius the putting away of much wine, even as is
the business of Pilate?"
"Yea. But Tiberius doth have a deputy to satisfy the demands for him."
"And some are as insistent as itch."
"Yea, like the broad Jew whose foot caught in the blue and purple cloak
he let drag in his desire to be heard."
"His business was urgent by the glittering eagerness of his two small
eyes."
"Yea, and the gold he held forth did glitter better than his Jew eyes
as he said, 'My mission is urgent! One hath arisen against the Empire
yet doth Pontius Pilate not come forth nor give audience to message
bearers.'"
"'He seeth neither god nor man until his business of importance to
Tiberius is finished, since first of all he is Caesar's friend,' did I
make answer, straight-faced and solemn, for who would feel the fire of
the branding iron for a bit of gold? Then it was his countenance
became entangled in anger as his foot became entangled in his blue
cloak, and he did breathe out a curse."
"The curse of a Jew is no curse since it must be swallowed if it is
against Rome. But look thee toward the steps. On my life a messenger
cometh."
While the two soldiers of the Legion were gossiping on the outside of
the door the two guards on the inside were leaning heavily on their
spears.
"My eyes--but sleep pricketh me," the first guard said.
"Sleep then," the second replied. "But no dreaming."
"Nay--no dreaming."
"Listen! Pilate is gone until the new day."
On the stillness the sound of heavy snoring was heard. The guards
leaned against the wall, spears in hand, and were soon asleep. A
trumpet from the street below sounded the hours of night. The snores
of Pilate were answered by the snoring of the two guards and the palace
seemed given to slumber, when the tramp of feet and knocking of
standards was heard outside.
"Methinks I dream," the first guard said drowsily. "Yea, I dream there
is a great commotion."
"It is the troops rushing to war!" the second guard answered sleepily.
"Troops rushing to war." The words were feebly uttered.
The knocking continued at the door, growing quicker and harder.
"Who knocks?" the guard shouted.
"Open thou the door," was shouted back.
"Who cometh?"
"A message from the Tower of Antonio. We would see Pilate," the voice
outside answered.
The door was opened and the messenger with a number of soldiers
entered. "A message for the Procurator, Pontius Pilate."
"My Lord Pilate is in bed with orders not to awaken him."
"Whether thou awaken him or no, make thy choice. Here is the message
and I await a reply."
"Take thou it," the first guard said to the second one. "Take thou the
message to his bed."
"Risk thou thine own life," was the prompt reply.
"Enter and awaken him," the first guard said to the messenger.
"Time is passing," he replied with dignity. "I await a reply."
"Let us all waken him!" the second guard suggested.
So they advanced to the curtains that hung over Pilate's door and
shouted together as they beat the floor, "Awake! Arise, my Lord
Pilate!"
"Is the house falling?" The voice was that of Pilate. A moment later
he stuck his head from between the curtains shouting, "To the fires of
Pluto with you! What meaneth this disturbance?"
"A message for my Lord Pilate," the messenger replied, handing him a
tablet. "From the Tower of Antonio, a message."
Claudia stepped behind Pilate and looked over his shoulder. "What is
it?" she asked.
"The hiding-place of a Jew who hath not regard for the Law of Moses has
been discovered. This is a request for soldiers to go out against him."
"A Jew? Who is he?" and Claudia's voice bespoke deep interest.
"What matter?" Pilate replied, yawning. "A Jew is a Jew. Let them go
out against him. My tablets!" he shouted to a servant. After hastily
writing, he gave the messenger a tablet saying, "Depart! One Jew is
not worth the asking, but take him." Before the feet of the messenger
had crossed the threshold Pilate was ready to return to his sleep.
"Get thou on guard," he commanded his Legion soldiers, "and let none
less than Caesar pass my threshold."
For a few hours the long corridors and empty chambers of the palace
were quiet. Then again there came the sound of approaching feet,
followed by knocking and a heavy voice calling the Procurator.
"Pilate again!" murmured one of the guards sleepily. Then speaking to
the other he cried, "Why sleepest thou on duty? Get thee awake!"
Hardly had they assumed their positions inside the door when it was
thrown open and an officer followed by soldiers, entered. "Let not an
instant pass!" he commanded. "Call the Procurator, Pontius Pilate."
Following his command, the voice of Claudia behind the curtains was
heard saying, "Pilate--my Lord Pilate--awake! It is an officer of the
Legion. Arise!"
A moment later the head of Pilate was again thrust between the curtains
as he shouted, "The wrath of Jove! What meaneth this?"
"In the Judgment Hall thou art wanted. Thy soldiers have taken captive
one charged with sedition. At a midnight meeting of the Sanhedrin hath
he been found guilty."
"And what care I, Pontius Pilate, whether he be guilty or no? On the
Law of Moses would I myself spit. Yet by their own Law can not the
swine-fearing dogs condemn a man before morning. By their own law will
I condemn them and take their Temple. Go thou to those long-faced
circumcized and say in their ears that for causing this unlawful
disturbance ere the morning watch, I will make them suffer."
"Aye," replied the officer. "But my most gracious Pilate, conspiracy
is also charged against the Jew for it is he who was acclaimed King of
the Jews while all Jerusalem did shout his praises. A great following
hath he of Galileans, Zealots and Judean warriors. Revolution against
the throne of Caesar is all but born."
"Thou sayest this is he that was acclaimed King of the Jews?" and
Pilate's eye shone with a new glow.
"The same. He is a conspirator."
"And they have taken _him_? Then have they favored Pilate who hath not
yet discovered the nightly hiding-place of this conspirator."
"Nay! Nay! He is no conspirator, my Lord Pilate," cried Claudia,
hurrying from behind the curtains as she wrapped her shoulders in a
veil. "He is no conspirator! Naught save a teacher of Truth is he."
"Thou sayest he hath been taken?" Pilate asked of the officer.
"Yea, by the soldiers which thou didst despatch before midnight with
the guard of the Temple. He was betrayed by one of his followers, and
his hiding-place discovered. Already hath he been before Annas who did
send him to Caiaphas. Now waiteth he at the Judgment Hall around which
a crowd is gathered, and they say thou art not Caesar's friend unless
thou cometh."
"They say I am not Caesar's friend?" he exclaimed in excitement.
"Hasten thou to the Judgment Hall and say thou to the right and to the
left, as a trumpeteer doth lead thee, 'Pilate is already on the way!'"
When the officer had made a hurried exit, Pilate in great haste
shouted: "Up, laggards! Move! My coat! Quick with the royal ensign
and the eagle! Pilate is a friend of Caesar and this conspirator for
the throne of our Tiberius shall be stretched on a cross ere the
new-day sun reach the mountain top."
"Calm thyself, my Lord Pilate," Claudia said. "Nor let the words of
the rabble spoil thy reason. No conspirator is this Jew. He is a
teacher of the Truth. Quell thou this uproar and come thou back to
bed. Hearest thou my words?"
"Nay. No words I hear save the words 'He is not Caesar's friend.'
Caesar's friend would I be though all the Jews in Palestine are hung on
wooden crosses. Farewell, Claudia. Thou art the wife of Caesar's
friend."
Pilate turned to go, but Claudia lay hold of him saying, "Nay, my Lord
Pilate, thou shalt not go until my words thou hearest. Forever will
Rome bear the brand of shame should it stretch on a wooden cross one
who teacheth such wisdom as doth this Jew. Thou shalt not go until a
promise is made me."
"What promise?" he asked hurriedly.
"If he come before thy judgment seat, judge him of the words of his own
mouth and by the words of his own mouth free or condemn him."
"I promise, Claudia--I promise."
"Thou understandest that out of the mouth of the Jew thou wilt free or
condemn him?"
"Yea--yea! Let me go! I am a friend of Caesar!" and he loosed himself
and hurried down the long corridor.