Gab Bat Ha

GABBATHA
By James Dokhuma
GABBATHA (English Version rendered by Lalthankima) By James Dokhuma First Edition Copies Price : : : 2003 1000 Rs.100/-
Published by R. Lalrawna Printed at the Gilzom Offset, A/17, Electric Veng, Aizawl Mizoram Ph. 2315316/2320853/2321950
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AUTHORS INTRODUCTION
The greatness and power of the Roman Empire at his highest peak was like a mighty dust storm of the desert that no one can ignore. Six highways from all parts of the empire pointed to the capital city of Rome. Conquering nations far and near ruling over them the domain reached upto Britain to the west, upto Armenia to the east, all the African coast of Mediterranean Sea to the south and upto Sarmatia to the north. Rome had had accumulated fabulous riches of all sorts by the loots and taxes of conquerer countries, bringing home countless number of slaves to serve them and also had a big number of standing army for its defence. The city of Rome itself enjoyed were used to enjoy public entertainments and shows of cruelty fighting at the arena. Taking Roman rule as monarch of the world, without worry, every Caesar of Rome spent most of his time to enjoy drinks and women. Amidst such enjoyments of the great Caesar of the great empire, with humble beginning, the Gospel of Jesus Christ also slowly raised its voice. When the number of Christians began to increase a little bit, they were the victims of public accusations followed by persecutions beyond description. Every Christian, young and old and without exception, when captured, was pushed through the door of death. Therefore, under such cruel rule, to be a faithful Christian was very difficult. At that time, Judah, a province of Palestine too was under the Roman rule. At the same time, by nature, the Jews, with their nationalistic zeal, tried to protect their identity as a nation and also believed their religion to be the only true faith. Under the influence of their religious teachings, the Jews hoped for the Messiah to come some day to deliver Judah from the foreign rule and also to establish a Messianic kingdom and only to whom every Jew was supposed to give his loyalty. So, many a time, they rebelled against the foreign rules and again being defeated and suffered persecutions as well. Such rebellion once again happened in the year of 66 AD against the Roman rule. Using this rebellion as a background, this novel was written. I had started writing it some years back. But due to unforeseen circumstances, I left it unfinished for a long time. But, at last I could have it completed. The main topic is a love story of Joan, a faithful Christian girl given as a daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, the rich man who buried the body of Jesus Christ (Lk. 23:50-53) with a good Christian young man, an admired Roman Army Officer named Horatius Cornelius as the son of Cornelius the centurion who had invited Peter the apostle into his house (Act 10:1-48); from the beginning of their fall-in-love with pure innocence, the story pursues as to how their love developed in future. And, certain imaginations as to the famous ancient script called Dead Sea Scroll was hidden in a Qumran Cave which were discovered by the Bedouin traders in the year 1947 were given. And also the circumstances to cause Caesar Titus Flavius Vespasianus to build the great and famous Temple of Peace to commemorate the Jewish rebellion was also given. That temple was better known as Colosseum late. It was in that very Colosseum where many Christians died martyrs. The plan and structure of this Colosseum can still be seen clearly in Rome today. Believing that great Colosseum never fall, even in the eight century
AD, they still said, As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; when Colosseum falls, Rome will fall; when Rome falls, the world will fall. GABBATHA is the title of this book and its meaning in Greek is Lithostroton. During the reign of Julius Caesar, in the name of a great Roman called Marcus Antonius, a fortress was constructed in Jerusalem. And verandah of the fortress, paved with big hewn stones, was called Gabbatha. It was on that very verandah that Jesus Christ was tried in court before Pontius Pilate. The title of this book, therefore, was chosen to bear the same name of the stone pavement on which Jesus actually stood before Pilate. In the Bible we have it said, When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgement seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha, (Jn. 19:13). The stones on which Jesus had placed his feet upon might have deep and special significance, I use it as the foundation of Colosseum and of this story. Dated Aizawl, the 26th, Sept. 1989 James Dokhuma Kulikawn - 796005 : Aizawl Mizoram (INDIA)
CHAPTER ONE
Just on the borderline between Upper and Lower Jerusalem stood Herods palace imposingly, facing east. Tall Preatorian guards paced back and forth on its very wide porch. The Roman flag which with its insignia of the eagle fluttered high on the pinnacle of the palace announced that the Government of Judea, Gessius Florus, had arrived there from Caesarea. The Roman seal, a big emblem of the eagle in shining brass was also displayed very prominently above the palace porch facing the highway. These things very clearly spoke of the fact that the city of Jerusalem was reeling under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. The sun was gradually sinking in the horizon west of Jerusalem, and just as it disappeared the Levite priests from Herods temple blew bugles of lambs horn so loud that they strained and deafened the ear, to herald the commencement of the Passover feast. The streets of Jerusalem were heavily crowded with strangers coming from all parts of Judea to partake of the sacred feast. In the midst of those strangers a beautiful Jewish girl, Joan by name, was hurrying home without any companion, feeling quite forlorn. The palace of Herod was already glistening bright with the light of the big Egyptian lamp. All the Roman detailed to Jerusalem to keep peace and order during the Passover feast had arrived in time and were lodged in Fort Antonio. With their shields and shinning spears some of them walked about in dignified steps on the pavement called Lithostroton, which was built with large flat rocks against the fort The throng consisted of people coming from the different parts of the land such as Galilee, Parea, Samaria and Decapolis; and from Syro-phoenicia and the city of Alexandria; Idumea, and from the plains of Sharon. Joan walked along giving no thought as to where they
might be from,, lonesome in the thickness of the crowd and uncared for, and herself thinking of no one of the crowd. It was the customary practice of the Jews to come to Jerusalem for the yearly Passover feast, and for Joan there was nothing new and surprising in that such a big crowd should collect there at this time. The only thought that occurred to her was that in that year the crowd was bigger than ever, but she did not try to reason why it should be so. She was obsessed with the thought of her elder brother, and her old father about eighty years of age, who were at home eagerly waiting for her arrival, and she tried to push herself through the crowd as fast as she could. When, however, Joan looked at the insignia of the Roman Empire, the emblem of the eagle, and the cruel-looking faces of the Roman soldiers, hatred of anything Roman began burning again in the heart of this gentle and kind Jewish girl. She moved along without anyone to share her thoughts with, gnashing her teeth in anger. When she reached home her aged father slowly rose from his bed, and gently stroking his long gray beard, said, Joan, your brother and I have been already anxious about you. This night is the beginning of the Passover feast. Were the streets of Jerusalem very mil of people? Joan, tired and gasping for breath, threw herself down on the sofa and replied, Yes, my father, indeed. The crowd was so big, bigger than ever, I think; and more were still coming in. From the Gate of Damascus multitudes were trying to outstrip one another in order to reach Jerusalem before sunset. Tents have been pitched in all the vacant places since there is no more room for lodging. An amazingly great crowd was also entering from the Jericho road. I have never seen such a vast sea of human faces. It was simply impossible to walk fast through such a big crowd, and I have delayed reaching home. That is what I thought it would be like when I look at our present-day world. I think I have an inkling of something rather unusual to befall us. Well, was the crowd composed of about an equal number of men and women, like in the past years? asked Joans father. Joan replied, No, my father. That was the big surprise of it all. In the past years I never saw young men coming in such numbers as they do this time. In this year there are numerous young men in the crowd. Of course there are women and children too, but young men in groups are to be seen everywhere. Something strange is very likely to happen. Joseph, Joans father, slowly slapped and stroked the back of his head with his right palm and said, It is just because of this that I feel I must give your brother and you my will and testament. I am now aged and weak, and I may leave you at any moment to sleep with your forbears. I look at the world-and I have my fears and apprehensions that I will leave you before saying what I wish to tell you. Come closer, and I will tell you, eer the days of my life draw to a close, what I have never disclosed before the world, he said, coughing dry rubbing his eyes under those white eyelashes, those eyes that had seen the light of day for four scores of years. He made his children sit just in front of him holding their right hands together with his two hands, and said, Now I am old, and perhaps, I will no longer be with you very long. As he said these words their father, whose long beards were now all white, lovingly kissed both of them on their cheeks. With his wrinkled, trembling hands he affectionately stroked them over. He continued,
I wish to relate to you all about my past life, all that I was in days of yore. But I am hungry. Before I begin my story please prepare a meal for me. Joan hastily prepared the meal. The wrinkle-faced old man slowly chewed the food in his toothless mouth seemingly relishing what he ate. Then he reached for the pinched in waterpot beside him and poured the water straight down his throat. After the meal he turned round in his seat and made himself comfortable, and motioned his two children Joan and Jonathan to sit before him, and lifting up his two hands prayed thus : O God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, we thank Thee for making us witnesses of His death for our sins and transgressions, and of His resurrection for our salvation. Merciful God, bestow Thy peace and shower Thy blessings upon these children thou gavest me for an inheritance, and be with them forever. May honour and glory be Thine, and may Thy kingdom be glorious forever more. Amen. Then he took down his hands but continued to look upwards without even blinking his eyes, as if in a trance and having a vision of something wonderful above this terrestrial ball, for his face seemed to be aglow with joy and peace. And then he took Jonathans right hand in his own right and began praying again saying, Almighty God, who led our forefathers and their women and children out of their bondage in the land of Egypt and through the Red Sea; Thou didst preserve them in the dry wilderness by cleaving the rock and giving them drinks as out the great depths; and Thou gavest them land for an habitation. Thou God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, in the name of Thine only son Jesus the Christ I pronounce my blessing on my son Jonathan. And he said to Jonathan his son, Now my beloved son Jonathan, Gird your loin with the truth and be from now a witness of our Lord before the world. I bless you so that your offspring will sow good seeds in the earth and thus bring liberty to the house of Israel. O my son Jonathan, I see your right hand is stained with blood, Roman blood. But the only sacred and sanctified blood is the blood of Jesus of Nazareth. And your hand is stained with the blood of the Gentile dog. If you were only stained with the blood of Jesus Christ for your redemption I, your old father, would now sleep in peace. Yet I bless you with the blessing of ray right hand. May victory be yours. Now he turned to his only daughter Joan and as he did so he spied the several corners of the room to see that there was nobody else anywhere near them. He rubbed and then halfclosed his eyes and muttered something that could be understood only by him. And he held Joans hands in his and said Joan, my beloved daughter, I am happy that I will be able to pass away peacefully because I have a brave daughter like you. The very God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whom our ancestors worshipped and who gave us this land for our habitation, is going to make an offspring of your womb to be a witness of the truth. Your very offspring will turn the Roman Empire into the kingdom of Jesus of Nazareth. How I wish I could live to see that day. The glory of the nations is in your hands. The Lord of hosts shall protect you. Your very blood will turn the blood of Gentiles more precious in the sight of God than the flesh and blood of the Israelites. Your descendants, will witness and proclaim the truth to the nations. About two scores of years ago there appeared in Galilee a man who had supernatural power and gifts. He was preceded by John the Baptist who prophesized that a man greater than he was about to come. Multitudes came to the wilderness to hear John preached repentance. He told the people to repent and change their conduct because, he said, the kingdom of
heaven is at hand. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the country round about the river Jordan went out to him, and were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins. This Johns raiments were made of camels hair, and he wore a leather girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. John said to them, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his highways straight. He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. I baptize you with water unto repentance, but he baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. John attracted great throngs of people who held him very high in their esteem and respect. But before very long, after King Herod took his own brothers wife, John sternly rebuked him. In his anger the king had John beheaded. When the man whose imminent appearance John had foretold came, there was a stir and an excitement. Among the Jewish leaders there were none of us who thought that this man could possibly be the Messiah. He began his ministry in Galilee and thence he advanced into Samaria and Judea. At that time I had no place in Jerusalem. I lived in Arimathea. Every time I happened to visit the holy city I lodged in the house of my friend Nicodemus. The man I am talking bout was an inhabitant of a small town in Galilee called Nazareth, and so he was known as Jesus of Nazareth. This man had supernatural power. He touched the lepers and they were healed. He raised the dead. He cured the deaf and the blind. He even changed water into the best wine. He commanded evil spirits which resided inside people to depart, and hearing his voice they fled. A woman having an issue of blood for twelve years, having spent all that she had upon physicians without any avail, touched the border of his garment and was cured instantly. He calmed a great tempest raging in the sea. He fed a hungry multitude, of which male adults alone numbered five thousand, with five loaves of bread and two fishes. The crippled rose up and walked upright instantly, without support, at his command. Great Jewish throngs followed him everywhere he went to see his miraculous deeds. I, too, was curious and anxious about seeing this man who appeared exactly as foretold by the greatest of our prophets. I knew that the Jewish leaders were jealous and resentful of him and very troubled in their conscience by his miraculous deeds. Besides, this man was rather often rude in his speeches towards the leaders of the Jewish nation. He expressed himself unreservedly against them when occasion demanded. Our leaders who regarded themselves to be respectful enough and who were well known even to Caesar himself, were angered by the manner in which this Galilean approached them. They said, Is this man not of a poor family from Nazareth? Why does he speak against us in this manner? Their jealously of him turned into anger which aggravated by the mans calling himself the Son of God as well as the Son of Man. So they looked for ways and means whereby they could arrest him. They watched every movement of his and every word that he spoke. He was a blasphemer. The fact that all the members of the Sanhedrin and the leaders of the Jewish nation were dead set against him, further aroused my curiosity, and I was determined to see this very extraordinary man by any means I could find. I must see for myself what manner of man he was. Once during the Feast of Tabernacles, I heard that he came to Jerusalem to observe the festival. That provided an opportunity for me to see him. Mingled with the crowd I tried to get as near to him as possible. When at last I saw him I did not perceive in him any difference from other people. He looked a very ordinary human being. But I looked at him for a fairly long time without taking my eyes off, and behold, he looked back straight at my eyes. It seems as if he could see my inner being and knew all that was in my mind, and I trembled inside me.
For fear that the people around me might notice that I was captivated and in trouble, I decided I must withdraw myself. It was just at the moment he looked at me that I saw something beyond his human person, that was, the divine in Him. This was his difference. Yes, this man was quite an ordinary human being and yet this man was quite a different being. I no longer saw him as a mere human person, an ordinary Jew, but I was in Him power and might and authority. He was a supernatural being who was full of love and kindness, merciful and glorious without any pride, inspiring respect and reverence. There was not the slightest speck of cruelty in his face. On the other hand his eyes revealed courage and his whole nature was full of attractiveness. He seemed to possess the authority of one on a throne but he was humble, loveable and full of irresistible grace. The moment I saw what he was I fell in admiring love and adoration with him. What else could I do? Could this man be the Messiah? But even after I saw what manner of man he was. I too still hesitated in accepting him as the Messiah. Just at the moment Joseph pronounced the word Messiah they heard a strange sound outside. They became quite and listened. It was the sound of Roman guards of the first nightwatch marching on the road outside their house. The sound gradually subsided and in a few moment the soldiers passed away into the distance. Joseph then cleared his throat and in a trembling voice continued his narration. We had our imaginations and speculations about the way in which our Messiah was to come. We expected him to be born great, in a great family, or of an exceedingly beautiful Jewish woman of high birth, at least the daughter of a Pharisee. Or else we expected that one wondrous night, a holy baby would be found in the Holy of Holies of the Temple as if he came down direct from the skies. Yet another speculation pictured the Messiah as suddenly appearing in great magnificence in the clouds, surpassing in glory and majesty all the grandeur of the kings. He would be a gallant general and lead the army of Zealots into battle. That being the diverse manners in which we expected the Redeemer of Israel to come, it was not easy for anyone of us to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the anointed one in spite of all the miracles that he performed. And to add to our perplexity Jesus turned his back on violence and war. He preached peace and healed the sick and fed the hungry. It was said that nothing good could come out of Nazareth, and Jesus hailed from that very despised place. His father earned his bread by working as a carpenter, which was considered a lowly occupation, and his mother was an ordinary woman. Almost everything about him was contrary to what the nation of Israel expected the Messiah to be, and so it was hardly possible to accept him as the promised saviour. If he was at all the promised Deliverer who came to raise up the fallen nation of Israel and to establish a kingdom for them, then he was also expected to exalt and extol the Jewish laws given them by Moses, and to observe all that was demanded by the laws strictly. But contrary to what was expected of him, he transgressed the Sabbath law and he ate his meal without first washing his hands at all, not to speak of washing them according to the prescribed manner. He called the Holy temple a den of thieves and robbers. Looking at the way he confronted the Jewish authorities, why wouldnt they call him Belzibul? All that he said and did enraged our national leaders to whom even his miracles were now objectionable, abominable and obviously intended to provoke them. They thought all these things were the
devils lure and enticement. Besides, his progenitors were not men and women of good report. His followers, too, were unsophisticated common people of no importance in the community who worked for their bread fishing in the sea of Galilee. While his followers were such poor unlettered men who knew little about the world, he, their master was a discourteous and outspoken man who showed no respect to anyone. The anger of our leaders was gradually increased by his conduct and social bearing. The Jewish leaders who thought they did the will of God by strictly observing the commandments contained in the Mosaic laws were, according to this man, hypocrites, and blasphemers of God. Those who were at the helm of the nations affairs looked for an opportunity to have him arrested and removed from their midst. Our elders then sought the opportunity to arrest him by watching his every movement and by listening to every word that he spoke. They set three different traps which secretly lay in wait for him. One of these was to allege that he was intent upon inciting rebellion against Caesar. The other was to catch him while breaking the commandments intentionally. Third, they would make efforts to provoke him into calling himself God so that they might arrest him for blasphemy. If he got caught in any of these traps he would be liable to be put to death. So our leaders were all out to catch him at least in one of these traps, if not in three. In respect of the first trap they decided to put a question to him which, they thought, would be very, very difficult to answer. They said, Teacher, please toll us whether it is lawful or not to pay tribute to Caesar? Jesus was aware of their malicious plot and answered, Why do you put me to the test and try to entrap me, you pretenders-hypocrites? Now show me the tribute money. And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said, Whose likeness and title are these? They replied Caesars. And he said to them. Pay therefore to Caesar things that are due to Caesar; and pay to God the things that are due to God. When they heard his answer they were amazed and marvelled, and they left him and departed. The first trap failed to ensnare its victim. Then they resorted to the law of Moses. The Scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman whom they caught in the act of adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to Jesus, Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death any such person. What do you say about her? This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. And as if he didnt know how to answer, Jesus bent down his head and wrote with his finger on the ground. As they pressed hard for an answer Jesus stood up, looked at them all and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. Once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they heard his answer they were all dismayed and non-plussed and went away, one by one, beginning from the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. He was not at all as an easy victim as our elders expected him to be, and since the first two traps had failed they were now very discouraged. The only one course left to them, they thought, was to lay their hands upon him for claiming to be God. So they instructed their secret men to mix with the admiring crowds and follow him everywhere he went, and to hear every word he spoke. Even as the strength of the crowds that followed him gradually rose, the hatred and jealousy of our leaders for Jesus increased day by day. They feared that unless he was removed very soon from their midst, a rebellion would break out and the common peoples lot of suffering would be too hard to bear.
So as a means of slandering him they took his own statement that he would demolish the Temple in Jerusalem and raise it up again in three days. What Jesus meant by the temple might be quite another thing but they used it to suit their purpose, which was to prove that Jesus was Gods enemy. On another occasion Jesus said, Before Abraham was, I am; and Abraham longed to see my day. They said this amounted to calling himself God. To add to these they cited another instance in which Jesus drove out all those who bought and sold from the premises of the temple claiming that he cleansed the sacred place. He overturned the tables of the money chargers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He admonished them saying, Why have you turned my fathers house into a den of thieves and robbers? He called God my Father. The spark of their resentment now burst into a great flame of anger. We dare not even mention the name of Jehovah, why should this man call him my Father? If it were at all possible to burst with anger into death, they would. When he spoke to them he didnt show the slightest respect or politeness to them. He said, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! These words indeed pricked their hearts. Because they felt that he cursed them with every bad curse, they raised up witnesses against him with a view to having him arrested. Having sat in the same position for a fairly long time, old Josephs loin was now stiff and ached. To make himself more comfortable he turned round in his seat, and gently stroked his long beard and then beheld his two children affectionately. With his left hand he took the pinched-in water pot by his side, and gulped the water down his parched throat. He breathed heavily as drops of water flowed down and felt in drops from his long gray beard. Joan wiped her fathers beard with a soft towel, and Joseph continued his story. As for my friend Nicodemus and me we opined that we should first make a very elaborate study of a man like Jesus of Nazareth before we could decide whether to welcome or to reject him. Whether he was the Messiah or he was not, he was a very extraordinary being. We felt it imperative upon the man, but that we should seek with, an open mind to know what he really was. So we followed him secretly. We were convinced that the great miracles which he performed could not be duplicated by any mortal being without a supernatural power acting behind them all. Nicodemus and I listened to him with rapt attention when he rebuked our elders, and we agreed that he always said the right thing about them. We all only had to search our own benefit and glory instead of trying to magnify the glory of Jehovah. His speeches were a slap on our faces. That was then the very reason why our leaders were so bitter against him. He candidly revealed their hypocrisy, their treachery, their deceitfulness and indeed all that was in their hearts. Instead of appreciating his acts of mercy towards the poor and the sick, and instead of adoring him for his marvellous deeds, their hatred and jealously of him increased by leaps and bounds. They spread words that this man was devil-possessed and that was why he could drive devils out from inside people. They succeeded to a great extent in convincing the gullible Jewish public that he was demon-possessed, for, like their leaders, even those who followed Jesus very close were mere opportunists. And that is sadly the way of the world. When something unusual happens many people are, like in a tidal wave, carried away by their whims, fancies and passions. But my friend Nicodemus and I carefully watched the development with keen eyes and a clear conscience. We saw that Jesus possessed glory which
was invisible and yet visible. It was not possible to see that glory for the common people who followed him only for their selfish ends; but that glory could be seen by those who sought for the truth with mind and heart. We found that the secret of his glory was beyond his physical form, and that his might and power were endowed upon him from beyond the realm of humanity. So in the most secret place of bur hearts he was already LORD. I learnt later that Nicodemus even went to him by night when all the other Pharisees and scribes would not see him. It was in that meeting that Nicodemus asked him the meaning of the new birth. The answers Jesus gave him was so baffling that he was turned upside down. The sayings of Jesus were often difficult to understand as he spoke in parables, and that was one reason why the Jewish leaders always misunderstood him. Nicodemus, too, was puzzled when Jesus told him he needed to be born again. Among the twelve disciples of Jesus there was a man living in Jerusalem called Judas Iscariot, so called because he hailed from a place of that name. Judas had a sister called Judith who was exceedingly beautiful, so fair-looking that she was known far and wide even in the city of Jerusalem. It is said that in many cases women who are of exceeding beauty also tend to be of desultory character and Judith, too, was said to be as loose in their way of life as they are physically charming. The High Priest of the day, Caiaphus, and those closest to him now set their eyes upon this extrovert with a view to taking advantage of her looks and capriciousness for their purpose. Judiths brother was a prominent disciple of Jesus. And Caiaphus, in spite of his high ecclesiastical office, was a man given to physical urges and pleasures. Nevertheless, it was everybodys desire to be known and favoured by the High Priest. Judith was so attractive that she was simply irresistible for a mortal being like Caiaphus. So he tried to think out the surest way of winning her and possess her to satisfy his own lust, and at the same time utilize her influence on her brother Judas with a view to having Jesus arrested. Caiaphus skilfully tried to bewitch Judith and they gradually became attracted one to another. It was nobodys business to know how far they went in their romantic life, but it was no secret that Judith was the most favoured of the Hight Priest. While thus he spoke Joseph lifted his head and his facial expression betrayed grief. With tears in his eyes gleaming in the dim flickering candle-light, he glanced round to see his two children. In a husky and agonizing voice he continued, My children, I will not repeat this long story to you, so listen carefully to whatever I say. For to repeat it all to you this life of mine will have no more time. Lay up treasures for your souls by keeping my words in your minds. Keep them as valued treasures for generations yet unborn. He wiped his dropping tears with the back of his palm. He turned round a little in his seat to make himself more comfortable, scratched his itching neck and then went on to say, I have told you that Judith was beautiful and attractive, an d given to worldly pleasures and waywardness. Women of her kind are always passionate about best dresses, and more often than not are gluttonous. And Caiaphus had amassed so much wealth that it was simply impossible to resist his advances for a woman of Judiths nature and bearing. Caiaphus befriended Judith with a lustful heart coupled with his hatred of the Nazarene. His obsession was to enjoy a life of pleasure in his bed chamber with Judith and at the same time to talk her into leading her brother to betray the Son of God.
Joan interrupted her father and asked, Why, my father, didnt you tell us that Caiaphus was the son-in-law of the old High Priest called Anna? Why did he lead such a life of debauchery? Josephus replied, Those who are given to women marry for their satisfaction, and though married they seek another women because of their insatiable lust. They marry, they divorce, they re-marry, they are never satisfied. Because that is their way of life; it was no wonder for those who knew Caiaphus that he should be mad about Judith. All those who knew the stuff of which Caiaphus was made thought that he cared for Judith so much only because of his weakness for beautiful women. But it transpired that Caiaphus had a twofold objective in luring Judith into his possession. He wanted Judith to influence her brother Judas to betray Jesus. If Judas at all succeeded in having Jesus arrested, Judith would have a bountiful supply of gold ornaments and other valuable things. Knowing this Judith urged her brother to act, and to act in haste. Temptations are hardest to resist when they come from those closest to us, our blood relatives. So I do not wholly blame Judas for what he eventually did. And Judas was now helpless against the constant pressures of his sister Judith, and he eventually yielded. He, though perhaps most reluctantly, betrayed his Master whom he had followed for such a long time, and who entrusted him with the most enviable responsibility of keeping the money of the apostolic brotherhood, said Joseph, bursting into tears. The old wrinkle-faced man with sunken eyes and long grey beards, visibly trembled and cried out O my Lord. Joan hastily closed her right arm round her fathers neck and said, My Father, I understand the meaning of the sorrow you are passing through. Even as you secretly followed Jesus of Nazareth in those days, I promise you in the name of the God of Abraham that we, too, shall follow Him. For He died for our sins and iniquities in full obedience to his Father, and rose again from the dead to live eternally. My brother and I believe in His resurrection and we are determined to be His faithful followers. Do not cry any more, my father, for you make me feel like crying too. Joseph lifted up his head still sobbing like a child, and looked round. He said, Judas betrayed his Master about whom he did not find any fault whatever. It was Passover time as it is now. In that night there was a big gathering of people on the porch of Fort Antonio. My friend Nicodemus and I were part of the crowd. The mad Jewish throng intoxicated with anger were no longer inclined to hear reason from any one; they were too mad about killing Jesus. Truth had no place, and the crowd would not listen even to the rulers. They cried, Crucify him, crucify him. In the midst and noise of the crowd Pontius Pilate was working hard to find out whether Jesus was really guilty or not of the allegations against him. He ultimately found that this man didnt do or say anything to warrant death. He wanted to release him. But the angry crowd cried, You will not be Caesars friend if you release him. Pilate was deeply troubled. He looked round and sighed heavily. Then he had water brought to him in a basin, and symbolically washed his hands and said. I am free from the innocent blood of this righteous man. Do unto him as you please, and handed him over to the Jewish leaders. My friend Nicodemus and I thought that the best thing for us to do in that situation was to keep quiet. If we attended even a word in defence or in favour of Jesus, we were sure to be crushed by the angry Jewish mob in no time. So we didnt say anything. But even though we kept silent all through, we felt as if all eyes were upon us in suspicion.
Perhaps that sense of feeling emanated from the fact that we had followed him secretly out of curiosity. The atmosphere was charged with mystery. It was at that night when I was caught between fear and love, fear of the Jewish people, my own people, and love of the man of Nazareth, that I finally decided to give Jesus my wholehearted loyalty and accept Him as my Messiah without any more doubt. It is the common characteristic of all men that our real nature asserts itself when the greatest sorrow be-falls us. In that night Jesus passed through the greatest grief of his life, grief unto death, and it was then that I saw Him in his true nature. I could not be mistaken. He was glorious in his agony, shining in his adversity. Surely this man was the Son of God, the King of Kings. He was silent before Pilate and his silence judged the ruler. When I realized that the God of Love had no lover among those whom he loved, I could no longer contain myself and trembled violently. One Pharisee who stood close by rebuked me saying, Are you afraid of that culprit or do you have pity on him? I didnt say a word in reply. However, having thus trembled I thought I should withdraw myself from the crowd. After all, my presence there was of no use for there was nothing I could do. I decided to go home. Before I left I once more cast a glance at the face of Jesus, and his eyes met mine. At his look I felt as if a shock wave passed through my body. I felt, too, as if I received a message from his eyes, and that message was for me to arrange a burial place for him after he died, Will you be prepared to take down my body from the cross? He seemed to say. As soon as I reached home I threw myself down upon my bed. I had no more strength and stamina left in me, as if I had done a tiresome work all the day. I was exhausted. I tried to go to sleep, but the harder I tried, the wider awake I became. It was not the thought of his impending death which made me so tired and restless, but that I had seen his glory, and his glory captivated me and changed me. I have not been the same man since. The man whom they arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, the man whom the Jews condemned as a rebel, a criminal, a blasphemer of God, a devil; the man who, though in reality perfectly righteous but was sentenced to death on the cross, was just beginning to be glorious and majestic in my heart. I was absolutely certain that the Egyptian gods Isi and Osiris, or the Grecian god Zeus on Mount Olympus, or the Roman god Love, none of them had even a tiny speck of place in my heart. But God Jehovah created all the wisdom of Egypt which flowed with the mighty Nile out into the world, and the glory of Pharoah in the city of Memphis. All the glories of Babylon and the riches of the river Euphrates were His handiwork. I worshipped the only living-God. Jehovah, the God of gods. But when I realized that Jehovah revealed His infinite love in the person of His son for us His creation, my heart overflowed with joy. At the break of dawn the next morning I went straight to the High Priests palace knowing that the condemned Nazarene was to be executed in a few hours. On the porch of the palace I saw a beautiful woman proudly pacing back and forth. It was Judith. Her face revealed anger and bitterness and her eyes a sleepless night. Without any shadow of doubt she passed the night revelling and cursing the man who had been condemned to die. The High Priest, Caiaphus, too, looked tired. He was still in the same priestly robe he wore on the previous day, and was reclining on a sofa in the very wide drawing room into which Judith followed me. After I got all the information I needed from Caiaphus, I left the High Priests mansion.
Leaving all other things aside I went to the house of Bar Haseem to negotiate with him for a new tomb which was a little way below the place of crucifixion. Fortunately Bar Haseem agreed to let me use the tomb for burying Jesus of Nazareth on payment of a few shekels. Then I made arrangements as quickly as I could afford. I bought the best kind of Arabian linen for swathing the body of Jesus Christ. I also bought the costliest Egyptian perfume to smear the mortal remains of my Messiah. Everything for the burial being ready, I went back home.
CHAPTER TWO
The length and breath of Jerusalem was now full of angry cries, with crowds upon crowds everywhere. The streets looked like a flooded river overflowing with muddy water. Many in the crowd simply screamed and shrieked without any meaning. There was too much of tumultuous cry everywhere. The crowd walked and yet could not walk. The streets were over-congested. From a fairly long distance I could see one cross shaking as it moved bit by bit. It was the cross borne by Jesus of Nazareth, it was a dismal sight to behold. I felt it was hardly possible for a weak old man like me to move along with the crowd and reach the place of execution. So I decided to go back home, said Joseph, and blew his nose making a slight snorting sound and stroked his face with his hand from chin upwards, and drank water from an old leather container. With drops of water still here and there in his long beard he continued his discourse and said, My children, listen carefully, the sun had turned very low in the west and already cast its shadows over upper and lower Jerusalem. All of a sudden thick black clouds rolled over in the sky and turned towards Jerusalem. All the world became pitch-dark and nothing could be seen. Then we heard terrible sounds of thunder and lightning. The sound of thunder on that day was of such magnitude that it looked as if the earth would explode, and it formed an inexhaustible topic of conversation for a lifetime. Not a raindrop fell, but it was so dark you could not see your hand before your face. Everyone was bewildered and distressed. Nothing so horrifying had ever happened before and so everyone, without exception, felt in awfully terrifying. No, it was not at all like the darkness of the usual night, it was darkness of a different kind. What else could anyone do except groaning in agony? Some in the crowd blamed and cursed the national leaders. They said that the calamity was a result of their action. They crucified Jesus of Nazareth in spite of Pontius Pilates pronouncement that he was innocent. The crucifixion must have provoked God into visiting the rebellious Jewish nation with the tragedy. Others kept beating their own breasts and blamed themselves for that unnatural catastrophe. Oh, that day, what a day, what a day, said Joseph and sighed heavily. He then turned in is seat to be a little more comfortable, adjusted the cloth on his neck and continued. The watchmen of the city lighted their lamps. Birds of the air flew away to their nests. The night owl cried thinking that it was midnight, and chickens went to roost. Those who witnessed the crucifixion could not adequately express their fear.
The length and breadth of the sky was full of lightning which crossed themselves in full fury. As I have told you, people were convinced that a supernatural being, much mightier than those mortal beings who crucified Jesus of Nazareth, vindicated the condemned Galilean and punished his torturers. There were also those who at that very moment declared that the dying Nazarene was no other than the Son of God. Still others cursed and spat on the faces of their national leaders. The lightning sounded so loud that it seemed as if the earth would explode into pieces, and I was suddenly lifted from my seat by the sound. It was no more impossible to see who this man was. Who else could he be if not the Son of God, the MESSIAH? It was the Redeemer of Israel that they hang on the cross. Multitudes who witnessed the dreadful sight of the crucifixion returned with fear and anxiety. It was time for me to get ready and see Pontius Pilate. So I proceeded towards his palace to ask him for a permission to let me take down the body of Jesus to be buried. It was still dark and I felt very lonely as I walked alone. I carried with me the linen cloth and the bottle of perfume which I had bought for the purpose. I reached Pilates mansion all by myself. The strength of the soldiers on guard duty at the residence had doubled, and they were stricter than ever. One of the soldiers recognized me as a member of the Sanhedrin, and called one of the palace servants to come. The servant was a black African Negro. His hair was all curls. After inspecting me from head to foot for a fairly long time he asked, Who are you? I told him that I was a member of the Sanhedrin and that I wanted to see Pontius Pilate. The servant said, I cannot assure you of an appointment, and disappeared into the house. But before long Felicitus Claudius, Pilates wife came out to see me. She wore a purple velvet cloth, and a bead of imitation olive fruits was suspended round her head. The Governors wife was an exceptionally beautiful woman. But this time it was evident from her looks that her heart was heavy with something very hard to bear. There was no joy at all in her face. She appeared to be smitten and afflicted. I said, Shalom, madam. May I be allowed to see the Governor, the favoured of Caesar? She replied, You will be able to see him just because you are a member of the Sanhedrin. Well, has the Nazarene died? Yes, madam, he had died. Then Claudius exclaimed, Oh, how very cruel are the Jews, and buried her head in her hands. And after a while she lifted her head and, with tears in her eyes said angrily, You have ignored justice, and you hate righteousness. You have crowned the robber. You have delivered the Lamb to a hungry, ravenous wolf, and the dove to a famishing eagle. My husband tried to release the man but you have hung him dead on the cross. You threatened to slander my husband by testifying against him before Caesar, not because you loved Caesar, but because you wanted to murder a man. Jesus of Nazareth. How wicked are your thoughts and how abominable your deeds. You will someday reap the fruit of your maliciousness. You are a people who cannot tolerate people of any other race; people who have rejected justice and thereby defiled the throne of Rome. After she scolded and apprised me to her hearts content, as if I were a representative of those who killed Jesus, she motioned me to follow her into her husbands presence. In the spacious room into which Claudius led me, there was a big, gold-plated sofa which was made in Corinth in the likeness of a lion. Pontius Pilate was reclining on the Sofa looking sad and exhausted. Two Grecian ladies stood on his sides and were fanning him with fans made of peacock feathers. He half-closed his eyes as if he were sleepy. His wife said to him. My Lord, a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph, wants to talk with you, Pilate opened his
eyes, and without even looking reached for a glass of wine on the table, and gulped its contents down his throat. He then carefully looked at the seal of Caesar, cleared his throat, and slowly examined his wife. While still looking at his wife he motioned the two women to withdraw themselves, and motioned me to be nearer to him. As soon as I stood before him he made signs with his hand for me to say what I wanted to say. I said, Your Excellency, may the favour of Caesar be upon your goodself. May the flowers of his blessing be showered upon you like a benediction. Now that Jesus of Nazareth is dead, I pray that your Excellency will allow me to take down his body from the cross, and to bury it in a tomb. As soon as he heard the name of Jesus uttered by me I saw that he opened his eyes wide and round and they rolled sideways. His body shook and swayed and wavered. He was evidently bewildered with fear, he was furious but he was also helpless. This rebellious Jewish people he screamed, bereft of any love and kindness. You have the poison of rudeness and cruelty in you, and you are drunk with the wine of hatred and oppression. After you have rejoiced at his torture upon the cross, you want to take his body to be further mutilated and cut up into pieces like sands on the seashore, do you? How rude and cruel you all are. It is obviously because he predicted that he would rise again on the third day that you are planning these sinister schemes. I cannot understand it all, and I cannot allow you to go that far. Didnt I deliver him to you that you might do what you liked to him? Then why do you try to cast this responsibility upon me? You murderous Jews. I am disgusted to see your faces. Then he suddenly rose. His face all red with anger, he swiftly walked back and forth on the floor. After he vented his anger to his hearts content, he angrily threw his full weight on a huge tortoise shell which was used as a seat. I ventured to tell him that he misunderstood my honest intentions, and that I had bought a new tomb to bury him. Look here, my Lord, here is a new linen cloth to swathe his body, and here is a bottle of costly perfume with which I intend to smear him, I said. Pilate again rose suddenly and opened his mouth wide even before he spoke. Then he said, Hoax, this is all hoax. Try to deceive me if you will. Rome will not lose its glory just because you deceive me, nor will it be glory just because you cheat me. Didnt I wash my hands before your very eyes and declare that I was free from the innocent blood of that righteous man? I have already closed the litigation respecting Jesus of Nazareth, and I am not going to open my mouth any more in judgement upon him. May you live into his inner chamber. I cried after him. May you live long, my Lord, and I too left his place disappointed. As soon as he finished his story Joan said, My father, your seat seems to be uncomfortable, and brought a collapsible leather chair with a soft, thick, cushion, Will you please be seated on this? Joseph slowly shifted himself on to do it, Joan then brought him a glass of wine which he gulped down all at once. He slowly stroke his long white beard to wipe away the drops of wine that remained there. Then he adjusted the cloth he wore and continued the story of his encounter with Pilate, After I left Pilates palace I didnt think it necessary to see anyone else, and so I hastened to make arrangements for the burial of Jesus. On the road to the place of crucifixion I met Mary
the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I told them what I was going to do and they followed me back to the place of crucifixion. When we were fairly close to the place we met John and his brother James. They too accompanied us and the five of us reached the place together, where we saw Marcellus, the centurion, and two other soldiers standing there looking stunned and amazed. I told them that I was to take down the body of Jesus to be buried. To prove that he was really dead, the centurion lifted his spear and pierced the side of Jesus and, wonder of wonders, blood and water flowed out copiously from the wound. A drop of blood fell on the centurions blind left eye and he was healed. After those Roman soldiers were satisfied that he was dead, we took down his body from the cross, and I swathed it with the linen cloth I carried with me, and smeared it all with the perfume I bought for the purpose. We then laid the mortal remains of Jesus to rest in the new tomb I had bought from Bar Haseem, all in the sight of the soldiers. Caiaphus the high Priest heard from the soldiers that we had buried the body of Jesus, and he was furious. But there was nothing he could do against those of us who buried him. It was lawful for anyone who had compassion for the criminal who died on the cross to bury his body. However, as soon as he came to know that I had buried Jesus in a tomb I bought from Bar Haseem, the High Priest went to see Pontius Pilate: He asked the Governor to detail Roman soldiers to watch over the tomb. Pilate answered that the Roman Government was not responsible for guarding the tomb and said, You have your own soldiers and you can take care of the tomb. What the High Priest and the Jewish elders feared was that the disciples would steal the body away, and claim that Jesus had risen and his tomb was empty. Caiaphus was not satisfied with the stone slab with which we covered the tomb, and he had it covered all over again with a stronger one, and sealed it with the seal of the High Priest. He ordered the twelve selected Temple guards to watch over the tomb for three days and three nights. But in spite of all those precautions Jesus did rose again by the power of the Almighty God. He was not stolen. That was the power of God for our glory. One of the guards was a Jewish young man of the line of Benjamin and his name was Ben Nahor. Ben Nahor witnessed the resurrection and he narrated the scene in these words: It was well past midnight, and the last watch, which was my lot. The dawn had not yet broken. All of a sudden two men with blinding light appeared as if from nowhere. I fell on the ground. I felt the earth shivering under me. I couldnt call it an earthquake for it was somewhat different from the usual earthquake. Yet the earth shook and swayed about with such intensity that it appeared there would be nothing to withstand it. I was gripped in fear. It was so horrible that you wouldnt be bold enough to open your eyes. I do not know just when and how, but I became unconscious. When I regained consciousness again I saw that the heavy flat rock which covered the tomb had already been removed. But I was still so much afraid that I didnt move a bit. I sat motionless. The dawn followed soon and the world was all bright again, and everything could be seen clearly. My fellow guards were still lying unconscious. Though still gripped in intense fear I lifted my head and looked round, I saw three women at a distance coming towards the tomb. I stood up and in an angry voice, said, Whatever on earth are you coming to do here? One of the women replied, Tell me where my Lord is, for I am told he is no longer here. I ran at once to the tomb and looked inside it. I saw inside the tomb a man with a brightness which was beyond description. He was, to all intents and purpose, not a mere human being. He
possessed a strange glory. But Jesus of Nazareth was not there. I ran towards my friends and told them what had happened. And we all ran to tell Caiaphus what we had seen. We reached the High Priests palace just before sunrise. Caiaphus was walking about on his verandah and his looks betrayed that he did not enjoy a restful sleep. As soon as he saw us running towards him he had an inkling of something strange having occurred. Our Commander Sam Matthaia explained to him all that had happened. But it was hardly possible to talk to him in a befitting manner and to apprise him of the situation which resulted from what had happened. He angrily scolded us all and said, It is evident that you didnt keep a good watch over the tomb, and his disciples must have removed his body while you slept. You dogs, why shouldnt I remove you all from your posts? For what bribe did you let his followers take the body of the accursed one? I am disgusted to see your faces. Our Commander could not bear his vituperations and boldly answered, If you wouldnt listen to what we have to say, then well go. We will tell the people all that we have heard and seen. Well tell them that Jesus of Nazareth, though he died has risen again. We will say that we are the guards who watched over his tomb and witnesses of his resurrections. Caiaphus calmed down at hearing this outburst of the centurion, and he called us into his room and seated us. In a soft tone he asked, So this is the third day, is it? If so I know what to do about it all. Well, do you know one of his disciples called Judas, brother of that beautiful woman named Judith? I replied that we knew him. Caiaphus held his forehead with his hands and shook his head and said. He has taken his own life. Now I want to tell you something. You are the soldiers who guard and protect the Temple. You do that work to earn your livelihood, dont you? You have all along been working honestly and without blame. I am quite pleased with you and your work. But I must tell you one thing. We should spare no efforts to make this event as insignificant as we can. Unless we succeed in that direction it will disgrace you and the whole Jewish nation for all time to come. So you must not say to anyone anywhere that Jesus of Nazareth has risen after he died. I know that you have watched the tomb for three nights without a wink of sleep and you must be very tired; so I wish to give a very special allowance to you all for your extraordinary faithfulness. He brought some shekels out of his pocket and handed them over to our commander. When he finished the story of the soldiers Joan said, My father, you have been talking for a long time so you must be tired. Wont you please lay down and rest for a while? Josephus said, My children, I myself found it very hard to believe the resurrection report. Of course I believe in spiritual resurrection. But to think that one who died only a couple of days ago should be living again today-that I could not believe. Just in the way that Caiaphus wanted the soldiers to spread word, that is, that the disciples stole the body while the guards slept at night. I believe that was exactly what happened. But, wonder of wonders, not very long afterwards. I saw with my own eyes the risen Christ. Joseph adjusted his seat, and looked round to ensure that there was nobody else near by to hear what he said, and continued. Listen carefully, my children. I, your father have no valuable things to bequeath to you when the time comes for me lo leave. But if you accept the truth I am revealing to you now, you will find it is the best of treasures for this life and for your souls eternal life.
Once when the disciples assembled in the upper room of Marks mother, I was secretly among them, and it was in that meeting that Jesus appeared in his risen body. I was the man who took him down from the cross after he died. I could not be mistaken. It was He. I saw the risen Christ. The disciples had all the doors and windows closed because they feared the scribes and the Pharisees. Nobody dared talk aloud. We were almost all silent. And Jesus suddenly appeared and broke the silence while the doors and windows were still locked inside. He singled out Thomas who alone of the disciples doubted the resurrection and said to him. Thomas, reach out your finger here and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not be faithless and incredulous but believe! Thomas said, You are my Lord and my God Jesus replied, Thomas, do you now believe because you have seen me? Blessed are they those who believe without seeing. Jesus appeared several times to his disciples after his resurrection. I saw him myself. The truth of his resurrection made me believe in the resurrection of body. I was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. But the disciples trusted me and befriended me since I buried the body of Jesus. But they kept this friendship a secret because of my prominent social status. Besides, they wanted me to continue as a member of the Sanhedrin so that I might be useful in warning them of any possible danger that might come to them and to pass any other useful information on to them. So I was a secret member of the family of disciples. For forty days after His resurrection Jesus lived among his disciples. And one day, from a place in Bethany in the presence of all his followers. He ascended to heaven accompanied by two bright angels, and as he was slowly ascending, he held forth His hands in benediction. Before His ascension he had instructed His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but wait there for the Fathers promise of the Holy Spirit. And it was hardly ten days after He left them that the day of the Pentecost festival came. On that day the disciples assembled again in the same meeting place, the house of Marks mother. It was at that meeting of the disciples that the Holy Spirit as promised came to them. This is how the Holy Spirit came. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and that settled on each one of them. And they began to speak in other languages which they had never learnt, the Spirit giving them loud and clear expression. From that very moment their doubts vanished, and without the slightest uncertainty and fear declared Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. They had all along been meeting together in fear and in secrecy. Now they were emboldened by the Holy Spirit to proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth was the MESSIAH, the CHRIST OF GOD. They began to preach that Jesus Christ came to save sinners, that He died but risen from the dead by the hand of the Almighty. When they proclaimed that He who was condemned and crucified by the Jews was the Son of God, the hope of the nation, the Messiah, the Jewish leaders almost burst to death with anger. And the number of believers in Jesus gradually increased day by day. The Pharisees and the Scribes were in a state of confusion because of what had happened. In order to suppress the news of Jesus resurrection they began persecution of his followers who were described as those on the way. Whoever of them they could lay their
hands on, they arrested and confined them in prison. They made false allegations against them, attributing to them sins of omission and commission of which they were not guilty, and held them responsible for anything that went wrong. One of the most prominent persecutors of the believers was a Pharisee named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He was a small, stoutly-built man of very high moral and physical courage. When persecution was at its highest, Saul came from Antioch to Jerusalem and of all the persecutors he was known to be the rudest and the cruellest. Persecution gradually increased in its intensity, and one of the most eminent leaders of the disciples in Jerusalem, Stephanus, was even stoned to death. From that day the believers began to disperse and flee out of fear for their lives, and ran away to several places of the land. My children, he said, arid cleared his throat, You know that the persecution of believers has not ceased till today. They still torture them with the worst methods of torture. And the Jewish leaders constantly make false and fictitious reports to Caesar just to slander them. Rome does not inflict all these oppressions out of its own will and accord, but just because our own people exert pressure on them to let the believers suffer. And the Romans, in themselves, are full of cruelty, masters of oppression and torture, bereft of any kindness and mercy. They are all out for making pleasures of all sorts. They are mad about earthly glories. What they want is to enjoy sumptuous feasts, wine and women all day, every day of the year. How poor we are! he said and held his bowed head with his hands. His son Jonathan didnt utter a word but he gnashed his teeth in anger, his face all red. Joseph continued his story and said, As you know very well. I have not suffered anything worth telling till now. God must have some very important thing for me to do. Now I am at the fag end of my life. I have seen the light of day for near about four scores of years, and I know the day of my life will soon draw to a close. During my life in this accursed world I have stored up many a good word of wisdom, and I have written many books and writings and kept them safe. At present you may not know the value and significance of what I say to you, but generations to come will certainly need them. So keep them in your minds and treasure them in your memories. Then he looked at his two children pointed to an old box of unknown age made of cedar wood and stuck together with the sap of gurjun tree. He said, In this box are all the important leather scrolls and brass plates on which are written important names and events respecting our family from our distant forbears. All that I have told you are also recorded in these documents. When the time comes for me to depart and I am gone to be asleep, lay me down in the family tomb along with our forefathers. But the books and parchments and other things now in this box, which are my treasured possession, keep them where they will be safest so that future generations may inherit them. As for me, I will go to rest with my saviour and my Redeemer who was cruelly crucified and killed on that accursed tree by our own people. Now my son Jonathan, listen and mark this. I have a premonition of doom which will befall Jerusalem in a not very distant future. You will soon see the day when alien soldiers besiege the city. Remember that such a disaster was foretold by Jesus of Nazareth. It was his counsel that all the inmates of the City should flee to the mountains for their safety. He said that there will not be left there one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. And all that will be but the beginning, the early pains of the birth pangs of the intolerable anguish.
That day of disaster is not very far away from us. Oh, how I wish I could depart hence for my eternal rest before that tragic day comes! Joseph was very tired after speaking for a long time. Joan brought him a glass of goats milk which he drank. In his face one could read hope for a new world. He seemed to be looking at a very distant land which he could see but not distinctly, and he looked without taking his eyes off for a long while. He was now old and physically very weak, but in spirit he was stronger than even a lion in its heyday of life. His eyes which were now sunken and blue with age failed him to see very far, but his spiritual eyesight was so strong and sharp that it seemed he could see the eternal place of rest which no human eyes could see. Fifteenth of Abib, the Passover day came, Joan and her brother rose very early as usual. But their father, and alert old man who used to rise early and walk about in their enclosure to get fresh air, was not there that morning. Joan had a presentiment that something might be wrong and ran into her fathers chamber. She came out from there as quickly as she had entered, and said to her brother, Jonathan, my brother, he is no more, my father is dead! And she wept bitterly, Joseph of Arimathea, who buried Jesus of Nazareth, and who was his secret disciple, had passed away. There was peace in his face as he knelt praying against his bed when he died. And as he willed it, his body was laid to rest in the family sepulchre, waiting there for the final day of bodily resurrection which he believed.
CHAPTER THREE
Hatred and resentment of their oppressors had taken deep roots in the life of Jews since the time of Maccabeas, and they had grown up with a strong will and determination to win back their liberty to govern and look after themselves. From the time Augustus (Giant Julius Caesar Octavious) ascended the throne up to the time Nero (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Claudius Drusa) became Emperor, what was uppermost in the minds of the Jews was their veritable hatred of Rome, and the reign of Nero had fanned the flame of this antagonism against anything Roman. The manner in which the Romans ruled by described as cruel, inhuman, as bitter a gall. They treated them not as citizens but as slaves, and slaves were treated worse than even animals. They used their women to satiate their lusts. In the arena of Circus Maximum in Rome those slaves were made to fight each other with sharp weapons until death, all to entertain the fun-loving Romans. This cruel and brutal treatment meted out to them in general, and the exceedingly callous manner in which Governor Florus ruled over them in particular, made the whole Jewry as indignant, resentful and enraged as it was humanly possible. The Jews, of all the races, are a people who are distinctly conscious of their national identity. Their land is Gods gift to them by His covenant through their father Abraham. He gave them the title deed to the land of Canaan. So almost everything that happened to them combined into their hatred of Rome. One of the Jewish sects known as the Essenes even went to the point of making this hatred religious and spread it among the people along with scriptural teaching of their faith. They went in groups to sequestered places like caves in the jungle on the pretext to having
meditations for purification. In such meetings they taught that Rome was Jehovahs enemy and the potential exterminator of their nation. The Essenes were of course extremists among the Jews. They disliked and hated even the Pharisees. They alleged that Pharisees were loyal to Rome and were inclined to accept anything or any teaching they received from the Empire. The Jews disliked the Romans not only because they were a Gentile nation, but because the sacred book called the TORAH taught them to keep themselves aloof from other nations and from those who didnt believe in the living God. In truth even the Pharisees were equally resentful of the rule of Rome over them. The fact was that they couldnt defeat Rome by the might of power, and they couldnt help resigning their fate of obeying their masters. That was why they kept quiet. There was another sect called the Zealots. These people were intent upon overthrowing the power of Rome by violence and to establish the new kingdom of Israel. They had been making secret preparations for quite a long time. They collected arms and weapons and secretly organised battle drills and exercises. When the Passover time came they were fully prepared for war. They wanted the Passover feast to be observed peacefully, but their plan was to take advantage of the festival by jumping upon the Roman soldiers who were at ease and unprepared. That was the reason why young men came to the festival that year in an unusually great strength, the fact that surprised Joan when she saw people arriving in the city. The Zealots, with adequate training in the handling of weapons were in a state of readiness. They kept quiet during the feast only to let the festival pass undisturbed, and as soon as it was over they would start the war. The last night of the festival came. The ceremonies were over. The Roman soldiers who came to the city to keep the law and order were getting ready to return to their respective places the next day. The crowds who came from all parts of the land moved about the city streets and lanes and bylanes in nostalgic hysteria, sad at having to leave the place where they had seen joy at its highest; and may young men and young women in couples stayed extra long hour in secluded places, for the next Passover festival was one year away and nobody knew who would be able to come there again. The zealots, too, enjoyed the festivities in an extraordinary way for this one might well be their last because of what secretly lay ahead of them. The next day the crowds would part company, some of them going south and some going north. So when bugles of lambs horns sounded in the evening to announce the end of the celebrations, the crowds were restless. Processions were taken out, they blew horns and sounded brass cymbals and sang in unison. I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, He has thrown both horse and rider into the sea The Lord is my strength, my song and my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, He is my fathers God - 1 will exalt him. The sound of the song echoed over Jerusalem all through the night. Surely there never was a night as joyful and sentimental as that night, the joy being mixed with pensive sadness
and every imagination stirred and seized by tender emotions. The holy city was all noise, a mixture of shrieks, laughter and sobs. The Roman soldiers were now at ease in their places. They were friends from different places who had not seen one another for year. The festival had passed without any disturbance whatever, and they, too, would part company and return to their respective places the next day. So they made a sumptuous feast in their barrack, they ate and drank and enjoyed. The officers who were inside Fort Antonio were equally happy eating and drinking. Mithras, one of the officers rose and said, Now even these rebellious Jews have been completely subdued. Whoever is there to oppose Caesar? And now, to the God of Mars! as he poured a large quantity of wine on to the floor. There was a tall, handsome, middle-aged officer named Julius Cornelius. This officer said, I am afraid I have misgivings in my mind. I have known these Jews since rny early childhood. We do not know what is brewing behind all these peaceful-looking scenes. We do not know just in what manner they may intend to act against Rome. Look at the wider world and see how things develop among nations and races. People all over the world are searching for their national identities, fighting for their rights to govern and look after themselves. Yes, things are swiftly moving in that direction. In the midst of this worldwide behaviour, who can say how long and solid the Empire can stand? Mithras replied, I am not concerned with what change may take place somewhere. But as it is today, I do not see any nation or country that can even faintly resemble the glory and greatness of the Roman Empire. They say that Greece L the seat and source of the worlds wisdom. But then, wasnt it the Roman general Lucius Mamuis Achaicus who wrested the glories of Greece from them? Rome has not the faintest likelihood of falling while the world lasts. Rome has inherited the wisdom of the banks of Nile. What could their god Osiri do to preserve it for the Egyptians? Did Zeus, the god of the wise Greeks, dare spread its wings of strength over the Romans? Where is the goddess Diana? The glories of Babylon now lay buried. So even Jehovah, the God of the Jews, wouldnt be able to take vengeance upon us. Now then, let me pour away some wine in the name of Caesar! he said, and poured out a fairly large quantity of wine on the floor. His friend replied. Centurion, there was a stronger force that could deprive Babylon of its riches and glories, and a force that could subdue mighty Egypt, and one that could hamstring Greece. So the dawn will break upon a day which be the last day of the glory of Rome. Mithras said, Your father is a famous Roman officer, and so are you. You are in a position to see the greatness and glory of Rome in its true perspective. Do you for a moment think that Rome will even fall? Do you pretend to visualize the Empires doom? Or do you hold these rebellious Jews so high in your esteem that you are inclined to aid them? Do you want me to bring all these things about you to the notice of Caesar? Julius replied, I am not at all against the Empire, nor is Caesar my foe, I do not regard the Jews as such, nor am I going to help them. But Mithras, this is a universal and an eternal truth, that if any country falls, the root cause of all is to be found in its internal corruption. Now the whole nation is drunk mad with merry-makings. The people are fun maniacs and
nothing less than the blood of those who are made to fight in Circus Maximum can satisfy the desires of their life, blood profusely flowing out of the wound of those wretched beings. The gallant men of Rome have lost their precious lives in that arena of killing and thence gone in groups down to hell. While the Empire thinks it stands firm on solid ground. I see that it begins to decay inside as if eaten by boring insects. Innocent Christians have been thrown into the mouths of ferocious animals and into swollen rivers of sure death. A rule of tyranny and cruelty like this never lasts. Those who are offended by the rule of this kind are ten times more than those who benefit from it. Rome will not be destroyed by external enemies but by its own internal corruption. Have you also become a Christian? quipped Mithras. No Julius replied, I am not a Christian. I dislike Christianity as a religion. What I say is that Christians have not done anything to warrant execution. Julius and Mithras were still locked in a battle of words when Governor Cessius Floras arrived. He was the ruler whose pride and arrogance over the Jews was well-known. He was accompanied by his wife Amalthea. Also in the company was a Greek princess, a selfconscious and proud ballerina who was known all over the Empire for her dancing skill: and a band of Jews-haters. A big round Egyptian lamp which was procured from Memphis lighted the room. In its soft bright light Amalthea, the Governors wife, looked her best. She was an embodiment of beauty and attractiveness. Mathras remarked to his friend Julius. That woman is as beautiful as the goddess Venus. Even the gods must fall in love with her. I bet she will bear a child as handsome as Aphrodite. Julius muttered, Yes. Even as she is so beautiful that even the gods will be jealous of her looks, she will most certainly beget children who will be worthy citizens of Tartarus. In Fort Antonio most Roman Officers enjoyed merriments while some others made hasty arrangements to depart that very night for their posts. Quite a few had already left just after the Passover festival drew to a close. While the Roman officers and soldiers were engulfed in the din and noise of the feast in their Jerusalem barrack that night, the remnants who were left back in their posts fell into deep trouble. The Zealots took advantage of the absence of their friends who were detailed to Jerusalem, and made a surprise attack on those who kept vigil of the posts. Quite a number were killed and the rest fled away for their lives. Those still in Jerusalem had no inkling of the tragedy which befell their friends and freely enjoyed their merriments. Those who escaped ran towards the sea and tried to find ways of reaching Rome with the news. On the next day after the close of the Passover most of the crowds left Jerusalem for home. Some stayed back to buy things to take home for their children, and as a memento of their visit to the holy city. Quite a few decided to stay on and wait there for the Pentecost feast. Except for these who were permanently posted in Jerusalem all the Roman soldiers also left the city. Some took the road to Jericho, some to Damascus, some to Bethlehem and some to Caesarea. Most of them headed for Syria. Horse-riders alone on that road numbered seventy five, and foot soldiers were one hundred and fifty. They marched on happily without any feeling of remorse. But they could not walk very fast as they were tired after spending very
long hours the previous night. So before they went very far they decided to rest and spend the night on the way. Except for those who kept vigil, the rest went to sleep very soon. It was fairly long into the night and all was quiet except for the cry of a night owl a long distance away. The full moon of the Passover month shone high up in the sky, as bright as it ever shone since it was created, and totally unconcerned with the bubbles about to break out down here on this planet. The land of Judaea and the throne of Rome were then on the point of being bathed in blood. After all his friends had gone into deep slumber one officer, Julius Cornelius, rolled right and left in his place unable to get any sleep. The more he tried to sleep the wider awake he became. So he recollected childhood memories, memories of the days he spent in Caesaria, and of the early days of his father as a dutiful, honest and gallant officer of the Italian Regiment of the Roman Army. He recollected more recent memories of those good Christian people with whom they secretly lived and shared things. He was glad that following in the footsteps of his worthy father he too had become an officer He had not become a Christian like his father, but his fathers faith had already made him a secret believer of Jesus of Nazareth in whom he was now deeply interested. He remembered that he had become a rather big boy in Caesarea when his father Cornelius once prayed in an afternoon. Then a man clothed in a radiant robe appeared before him. Cornelius, the man said, Your prayers and charities have not gone unnoticed by God. Now send some men to Joppa to find a man named Simon, tanner, down by the shore, and ask him to come and visit you. He recollected every minute detail of what followed, how the Holy Spirit came upon all of the household, and how joyful they all were. But Christians were persecuted by the rulers of Rome and wherever they were found they were caught and tortured to death. The thought of Christians being tortured all around, and the fact that they were soldiers serving on the side of the torturers engulfed him in a heart-wrenching despair. Deprived of any sleep he sat up, reached the pocket of his uniform and took out a letter which he received from his younger brother Horatius Cornelius who was a commander of the Roman Army in Bithunia. He read the letter all over again. It ran thus. My elder brother Julius Cornelius: I thank you for your letter telling me that you are to be one of the Deputy Commanders during the Jewish Passover feast. The Jews are a very troublesome people for us Romans; they are most annoying. We can in no ways admire these people. We despise them and regard them as worthless. But the fact that cannot be refuted is that Jesus of Nazareth was born in a Jewish home. Therefore, I want you to show love and kindness to the Christians. Let us remember the experiences through which our dear father passed when we were young, and how we turned our back on the gods Mars, Jupiter, Juno, Appolo and Eros and set our hearts on this Nazarene. My dear brother, we are soldiers. We stand on the brink of eternity ready to fall at any moment. Let us not forget that we will no longer need the god Charon to take us across the deep river of death. We II ride on the wings of morning and fly direct to our eternal place of safety. Our dear father has gone to Abrahams rest. In order that we too may put away our Roman uniforms one day and enter into a life of peace, into a life where the sweetest of music will sound to welcome us. Cant we be Good Romans and at the same time be kind and
benevolent soldiers? You have been my teacher and my guide in all things else. But it always makes me sad to think that you did not clearly see the path which our worthy parents followed. Believers of that religion may fight in battles and kill enemies, but their action is never accompanied by cruelty, and theYe is not greed in them for spoils of war. As soldiers we are in the position of those who shed blood, and we are defenders of the Roman Empire, but we can no longer indulge ourselves in the pleasure of the world. Christian soldiers cannot be cruel on the women of vanquished lands. Soldiers are not only trained to handle weapons and to shed blood, but to uphold justice and to protect the righteous. Ours is a vast empire, and people of all races and tongues are living within its domain. There are diverse faiths and ways of worship. Men and women of all races and culture love life and happiness the same as we do. Therefore be kind to them all, and offer a sacrifice of your life to the God of the Roman gods. I am well here. May your body and soul be protected by Him who is Lord of all mankind and all creation. Your younger brother, Nisan 2, 66 Via Genius Sinope (Bithuania) Horatius Cornelius Tiberius Band.
After reading his brothers letter Julius tried again to sleep. But he felt as if something possessed him, so he couldnt. In his imagination he saw his childhood days and his parents kneeling in prayer. He remembered that his father never forgot to pray whenever a good thing or a bad thing occurred in their home. This prompted him also into praying and he prayed thus: Thou God of gods, Lord of all the gods, my parents worshipped Thee for they knew that Thou art greater than the gods Jupiter and Jove, Mars and Minerva, Venus and Janus. My beloved younger brother Horatius Cornelius too wants me to worship Thee. I therefore turn away from all the Roman gods and now dedicate my life and my soul unto Thee. If my father was right when he said that Jesus of Nazareth was the creator of everlasing life, create Thou in me, O Lord, the life that was in Jesus. Thou, who threw horse and rider into the sea art stronger than the god Mars. If there is anything to change and recreate in me, do so, I pray Thee, and give me the kind of life my brother already possesses. No sooner had he said his prayer than a blinding, dazzling light struck him and he heard a loud scream of suffering. With sword in hand he ran to see what was happening where he heard the scream. There he saw hundreds of Jewish militants who had been trained to fight for quite a long time. Those youths were intoxicated with patriotic fervour and their hatred of Rome. They were only too willing to lose their lives if the land of Judah would rise up, and they cared little about what they might suffer. It so happened that those Zealots made a surprise raid on the camp of the Roman soldiers returning from duty in Jerusalem. As Julius was made of the stuff that true soldiers are made, and he was known far and wide for his swordsmanship. Soldiering was in his blood, flesh and bones. And he who saw the LIGHT of
lights, God JEHOVAH, at that instance shed his humility and kindness and stood face to face with battle. In the brightness of the Passover moon there ensued a hand-to-hand fight between the Romans and the Zealots, each one of them brandishing swords and pigios, and blood flowed freely on the ground. And Julius plunged himself in the fray. This officer had won acclaim previously when he conquered the barbarians, and he proved his worth in Spain also. He was therefore known to Caesar himself. It was because of his intelligence and his gallantry that Caesar put him in the toughest place. The sound of swords knocking one against another was to be heard everywhere in the camp. More Jews were arriving to keep their compatriots fighting the Romans. They chanted as they came. To the mountain, to the mountain, which was their battle-cry ever since the time of Maccabeas. In that beautiful moonlight there was nothing else to be seen except the swords which dazzled in the air as the fighting men waved them, and nothing to be heard other than the screams and groans of the wounded heroes. The field was full of blood gushing out from the wounds of the fallen. In the midst of Roman soldiers and Jewish young men fighting each other and hundreds of bodies lying on the ground Julius Cornelius, that handsome Roman officer held a sword in one hand and a pigio in another, and glanced about as he brandished his sword. At the same time a young Zealot whose skill in handling the sword was only superb, fought through which ever direction he faced. Most of the Romans and many Jews had fallen now. But a distinguished Roman warrior who had spent many years in fighting, was not to be defeated. And as for the Jews, there they were to defend their convenanted land of Canaan, and the name of Jehovah their God. So in the moonlight they stabbed and slaughtered one another and shed blood. After most of the Roman soldiers had fallen this Roman officer and the young Jewish fighter concentrated on each other. Cornelius sprang up like a lion and advanced towards the Jew crying, Be on your guard. The Jew was alert and watchful. In the midst of the many bodies of the slain lying on the ground he so quickly waved his sword that it dangerously dazzled this and that way. Julius sword passed very close to the Jew. Had he not turned so quickly in time the young Zealot would have fallen. He brushed against a dead body and almost fell to the ground and Julius closely chased him, but Judas guarded himself well. And then Judas adjusted his position and charged back on Julius who tried to guard himself but stumbled and fell, when Judas plunged his sword into his side. Julius opened his eyes round and wide and with difficulty lifted his head and said, Judas, it is who have slayed me. Judas replied, This would not have happened had Rome not been accursed. The last of the Romans now fell. The Jews went round the now empty camp and took away all the good things and weapons that they found there. That Jewish fighter who killed the brave Roman officer Julius Cornelius was the son of Joseph of Arimathea, and brother of Joan. Judas entered the tent of the Roman officer. As he lifted the Roman uniform which hang by the bed, he saw a letter falling from it. He swiftly glanced through the letter in a candle light and noted that it was from Julius younger brother. He left the tent in haste because it was necessary for them to withdraw as soon as possible from that place. And he took the letter with him.
CHAPTER FOUR
Joan was at home and felt very lonesome. She recalled to her mind those days when her father was still alive and they, with her brother, lived together happily in the house. She took out her fathers treasured books from the cedar-wood box in which she kept them. To ensure their safety from accidental fire she wanted to transfer them into a more secure container. As she was taking out the books and scrolls one by one, she mused, My fathers own hands put them here in this box. But now I have to take them out and put them elsewhere. Handling them with utmost care she arranged the scrolls inside a big earthen jar, making them stand in an upright position leaning one against another. When she finished arranging the books and scrolls, though not as neatly as she liked them to be, it was somewhat late. She was tired and went to bed and fell asleep very soon. But before long she was wakened up by a loud, jarring sound of a bugle in the street outside. She was alarmed and was thinking of what it could mean when she heard a still louder and discordant sound. She was very startled because she never had heard a louder sound of bugle. She sat up on her bed and thought and listened. The streets of Jerusalem were otherwise quiet. She didnt hear any other sound at least for some moments. Then all on a sudden the noise of people running about filled all the air around her. Joan did not know what to do. She sweated all over her body and she became all wet. She slowly rose from her bed and, though gripped by fear and trembling, went to the window and peeped through it, but she couldnt ever faintly see anything outside. She looked on, she thought and waited, and before very long it became clear. The noise was obviously that of people chasing one another and fighting in the streets. She silently prayed as she walked about on the floor in bewilderment. From the strange and terrible things that happened she now saw what her brother had all along kept as a secret from her. In that night the only noises to be heard were the battle-cries and the groans of those who were in the throes of death. It was hell let loose. A few days previously all the streets echoes with cries of happy throngs, the joyful sounds of Jewish crowds who came to the holy city to participate in the Passover feast. Now the same places were filled with another kind of noise, the noise of war. What a change! Joans only source of strength and comfort was her brother. But for the last couple of days his whereabouts were not known. She was sure that he too was involved in the war that had just broken out. She was deeply anguished for she did not know if she ever again would see him alive. She was tired of the night and eager for the dawn of the next morning, and yet she dreaded to see the coming light of day. She dreaded to see the horrible things the day would reveal. Sleep and peace had deserted her, and the void created in her by these desertions was now filled to the brim by grief and despair. There she was, a solitary girl in the midst of a mad war. She heaved a deep sigh of anguish. She made the best of an effort to be brave and plucky but the night passed on so slowly that it was ages before dawn broke at last upon the next day. In the previous evening Joan did not arrange her fathers things as properly as she would like to do, so she arranged them in the morning light without much of enthusiasm. Now the war
had broken out she should hide her fathers treasures away where they would be safest. Joan had no notion whatsoever of the impending danger which was brewing for quite a long time, and so she had all along been in a blissful peace because of her ignorance. Now she was surmounted by the darkness of fear, bewilderment and perplexity. Joan carefully sealed the big earthen jar in which she put her fathers treasured books, brass plates and parchments. It was so heavy that she couldnt remove it by herself and left it there to be shifted when her brother returned home. The streets of Jerusalem were quiet and desolate, not a soul was to be seen anywhere there. On other mornings the streets would be full of people from the earliest hours of dawn, but on that day they were completely deserted. Joan ventured out into their compounds just for a short while, and she heard a man scream angrily a short distance away. He said, What does it matter if those Romans, the Gentile dogs die like flies and perish? We have the Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob for our God. Let the Romans rule in Rome. We Jews shall rule in the land of Judea. A dog is a dog and a lamb is a lamb. Back into the house she went and thought of her visionary father and how his predictions had come true. She was all alone and full of fear, and she could almost hear her heart beating inside her breast. Then when she was most unprepared and she least expected it, she heard someone knock at the door in quick succession. She didnt have the faintest idea of who it might be and so with much hesitation she went to the door. She feared to open it as much as she feared not to open it. Unexpectedly her brother Jonathan, looking tired and almost exhausted appeared at the door. He seemed to be on the verge of recovering from an intense anger. Joan was exceedingly delighted at seeing her brother albeit in such a condition and said, My brother, oh my brother, how afrighted I have been, and how happy I am now that you have come home. But you are tired and you need rest. And why are all your garments stained with blood? My brother, I dread the sight of it all. Jonathan replied, Joan, dont be so sorry. There is nothing to fear, Judah is to rise and Rome is bound to fall. But I cant talk much now. Please prepare a bath for me, and after taking bath I will eat. I am hungry. Joan lost no time in arranging her brothers bath and Jonathan enjoyed it immensely. After taking bath he ate a hot meal for the first time in the last three or four days. Now he felt quite refreshed. He asked Joan to wash his clothing and properly remove all the blood stains. I am to go out again as soon as darkness falls, he said. But you need have no worry at all. There is nothing to fear anymore. We have defeated the most dangerous enemy. Last night we killed most of the Romans in the city, and a few who escaped ran towards the sea. We are going to chase them and finish them all. It is good that my father had left this sordid world without these terrible things happening before his eyes. By the way, why is that big jar sitting there? Joan said, I was wakened up by a bugle call last night. I was so afraid I could not sleep again and I stayed awake all through the night. With the war having broken out, I thought of our most uncertain future. I thought I must arrange my fathers treasures in such a way that they might be hidden away where they would not be destroyed and lost. I put all his books and scrolls in that big jar which he brought along with him from Arimathea. I put them exactly as they were rolled by my fathers own hands, and I sealed the jar properly. But I could not shift
it and so I left it there. Jonathan sat reclining on the collapsible leather chair made in Arabia. He was quiet for some moments and appeared to be thinking of something very seriously. He then lifted himself a little and said, Joan, be not trouble. Only if wed like to, wed throw the god mars into Abbadon in the valley of Jezreel, there to be eaten by dogs like Jezebel, wife of King Ahab. You ought to know that victory belongs to-the Lord of hosts. Even now Governor Florus hangs his head in shame and distress. Most of the Roman warriors have fallen in our hands. We are going to purify this land for the coming generations. Jerusalem will be liberated from the oppression of Gentiles. A time will come when governments of other nations will look at us and they will be jealous of our greatness. Revenge will be taken with sword on those who oppress the elect of God. Rome is accursed by the darkness of night, and this is the darkest night for the house of Israel. But it cannot be long. Jonathan got up and went backwards and forwards on the floor. My brother, how long do you think the war will last? When will Rome be finally defeated? asked Joan. Jonathan said, The question of how long this war will last is to be decided in the highest of heavens. But Rome will be defeated and its glories will pass away. Even now the greatness of Caesar is being destroyed by Caesar himself, and his strength is gradually being weakened by his own deeds. Violence is met with violence, and kindness is paid back with kindness. But Joan, Jerusalem will know no peace for sometime. It will continue to be a hot bed of war. Zion will be a city in which blood flows. The streets of the city will be filled with voices of lamentation, and weeping and great mourning. A time like that is bound to precede her resurgence as surely as winter precedes spring. The foundation stone of Jerusalems liberation is being laid in a very strange and different way. In its streets there will grow thorns and thistles and porcupines will make their holes in those places once inhabited by human beings. That will be the beginning and means in the process of purifying Jerusalem. Desert owls and goat-suckers will inhabit Jerusalem, and Rome will bow down under the rule of Silo, when the God of Jacobs glory will be revealed. My father gave us his last will and testament in the sight of the Lord. With his eye of vision he saw very far into the future of Israel. He blessed us with the blessings of his right hand on the eve of his departure, said Jonathan and threw himself down on the same chair. He looked at the six-angled Star of David on the table near him and said, Joan, You are my only sister, and I love you. Be not troubled and distressed. I know a certain cave which has all along been a peaceful place since the time of Maccabeas; it is there where all valuable treasures are hidden. Even the Zealots used to store up our battle weapons and secret documents in that cave. The place will most probably not be visited by anyone in the near future. We the Zealots have declared our aims and objects by means of war before heaven and earth. We have deserted that cave and nobody is likely to occupy it again. So we shall hide my fathers treasure away in that dry spacious place. There they will be safe as long as the world lasts. These treasures of my father will proclaim to the future generations that the God of Jacob is the only true God. Joan, do not worry about me. I have stepped out to fight for the resurgence, survival and honour of our nation, and there can be no turning back. There is nothing else to do for me in this life. I will fight till the last drop of my blood falls so that the land of Judah will rise up on its feet. As for you, time will reveal how you are to look after
yourself. You may pass through stormy times in your life, times of sorrow and anguish. But my fathers blessings are with you and be sure that ultimately bright days will shine upon you. Joan neither moved nor spoke while her brother was speaking, but listened attentively to all that he said. In that night they asked some of their friends to help them. With their help they went to a cave called Qumran by the Dead Sea taking the treasures of their father Joseph of Arimathea contained in the big jar. There they hid the jar in a comer which appeared to be the safest spot. At dawn the next morning Joan got up to wash her brothers bloodstain clothing. She reversed them, and put her hand inside the pockets to see if anything was left in any of them. As she did so she found a letter in one of the coat pockets. Joan opened it and read it carefully, and when she finished reading it she broke down and wept bitterly. Her father once related to her the story of a Roman centurion who saw a vision during his prayer. In that vision a man dressed in bright garments appeared to Cornelius, the centurion. The man told him to send men to the house of Simon Peter. Cornelius was to call Peter to his house. He did as he was told and Peter visited Cornelius who became a faithful follower of Christ. Joan thought that his brother might have killed the son of that Centurion, or the letter she found in her brothers pocket would not have been there. Of course she did not know the truth. But she knew that her brother was a Zealot and a gallant warrior. He had been taught and trained, even in their fathers lifetime, in the art of handling weapons on the battlefield. Now that he had come home with all his clothing bloodstained, it was evident that he had killed men one of whom might well be Julius Cornelius, the centurions son. It could also be safely assumed from the contents of the letter that the centurions sons, too, were Christians. This thought made Joan weep.
CHAPTER FIVE
After hiding away their fathers treasured books, parchments and brass plates in Qumran. Joan and her brother Jonathan returned to their home together. After reaching back home Jonathan said to Joan, According to the will of my father, we have laid his mortal remains in the family grave. And now we have hidden his documents where they would be safest. As you know, I cannot remain with you at home. The disturbances which have broken out are not concerning the Zealots alone. This war involves the whole Jewish nation. It is for the resurgence of our country. The responsibility lies upon us all to protect the covenanted land given to our father Abraham. We cannot shift the trust onto the shoulders of any other people. Rom shall rule in the land of Rome, and Judah shall rule in the land of Judea. That was the Creators sovereign decision at the beginning, that the swallow must live with the swallows, and the sparrow among the sparrows. Now we are fighting in the name of the God of Jacob. A great fighting has broken out in Caesarea. The Jews of Syria have been fighting hard. We know that Jews scattered everywhere have involved themselves in one way or another. Therefore I cant help going out to war for the glory of God and the honour of our nation. We the Zealots used to have our
combat exercises in all the other caves except Qumran, but now we have left them all. My fathers treasures will be safe where we have hidden them. So you need have no worry about that. If there is any danger I will know. I know how attached you were to my father and how much you respect his wills and testaments. Be here at home and fear not. Do not speak your opinion, or your wish, or anything about this war to anyone: We do not know who may be our most dangerous enemy. Even our next-door neighbours may turn out to be our worst adversaries. You and I are among those whom my father described as on the way meaning those who believe in Jesus of Nazareth. We may be of the same race but if we differ in our faiths we cannot be really one; that is, our unity may not be sound and healthy right through the end. I am anxious of you because you are a mere girl and you are going to stay at home all alone. But I will return a victor from war and we shall live together in this house and in this land of ours again. Joan said, My brother, what you have told me I will keep in my memory. But we do not know how long the war will last and if we shall ever meet again alive. I am satisfied with Jesus of Nazareth and I am pleased with you, and I am very peaceful. But I am to pass through the darkness of war all alone. Rome will not fight against the Zealots only. That is sure. Spiteful and brutal as they are, it is certain that they will train their weapons on any Jew they can find; man, woman and child. If a time like that comes, my brother, I will need you so much. However, go whither you must. But tell me the place you are headed for, and in whose company you will be. Jonathan said that his destination was Galilee. And I have been selected to join the company of John. He is an honest and gallant soldier. It is fortunate for me to be in his command. My friends Hanan and I will leave first tonight. Our friends will follow us later depending on what they hear from us. Joan, do not worry or fear. The God of our father Abraham who leads Jacobs descendants led our ancestors out of Egypt, and then through the Red Sea which he let them cross dry-shod, and he let them our of the Babylonian captivity. To Joseph of ancient days he gave power and glory, and the victories of David were His. He is our God who gave strength to Samson, and who dethroned Belshazar the king of Chaldeans, and who caused worms to eat King Herod to death while he was on his throne. We are not worshippers of Baal, nor do we praise the god Astoreth. Rome fights for her own glory, but we fight to manifest the glory of Jehovah. Until and unless we blow trumpets of victory in Zion, bow down before the Cross and pray for us. And trust on God who is in the highest heaven while you are still in Jerusalem. But remember this; that it is not possible for human beings to escape all disasters like death, plague, famine, sword and nakedness and the like. Even if anything happens to you, be brave and remember that you suffer what human being are subjected to suffer, and that we were born with seeds of misery in our flesh and blood, he said. By this time the Roman soldiers stationed in Jerusalem had either been killed or chased away by the Zealots. Quite a few who escaped ran to Caesars palace to seek shelter there. Jerusalem was then a fortress of peace for the nation of Judah. With none near about to disturb and harm them they were very peaceful, at least for the time being. The Jewish crowds once again strolled about the street of Jerusalem, and did their daily works without anything to fear. People from neighbouring villages began coming to the city with fruits and vegetables to sell
in the markets. No one sensed that a greater trouble was secretly brewing. All was quiet and peaceful. That night in which her brother left her, Joan was very sad and lonely. She was in the house all by herself and stayed awake till very late hours in a candle light. She recalled to her memory those days in Arimathea when her mother was still alive, and she spent many happy hours with her friend Keziah. She was a very young child and her mother used to caress her with fondness. Keziah and she used to sing and recite Miriams songs and some of Davids songs, very long ones at full length. She longed to see those happy days again. She thought also of those times when her father returned from his Jerusalem trip to Arimathea and brought her summer fruits and fresh ripe bunches of grapes. She was in a melancholic mood and she didnt feel like going to sleep. She recollected the story of Moses and other stories which her mother used to tell her. Joans mother was born in a well-to-do family of Arimathea. She was a descendant of Eleazer who in turn was the offspring of High Priest Aaron and Elsibi. She too was named Elsibi after her great ancestress. She was a good wife and a good mother and looked after her children according to the strictest Jewish custom. Joan, too, was as good as her mother. She was as intelligent as she was fair, and her charming conduct and mannerisms added to her beauty. Even-when sadness and distress completely surrounded her, and even when she didnt put on any neat dress, there was not a more graceful damsel to behold. To match her physical charm and beauty she was endowed with a natural grace of mind and spirit. And to crown it all, the grace and sweetness of Jesus of Nazareth was now reflected in her life, and she inspired reverence and respect. In her loneliness, she took out some old papers from her box. Surprisingly she found an old note which her father wrote, and it read thus : The nation of Judah claims to trust the God of Abraham. But it is sorely lacking in righteousness and honesty, even more than Rome itself. It surely shall provoke the wrath of God to fall upon it. It is not Rome which shall suffer vengeance for shedding the blood of Jesus of Nazareth; it will be poured on the house of Jacob. It worships power and glory. It indulges in violence and gives itself away to pleasure. Transgressions in Zion will throw the nation into the valley of Hinnom. This nation will seek but will not yet find; it will fight and not conquer. These words of her father made her think quite a lot. She was very upset by the thought that Judah would fight but lose the battle. What she read made her sad and she felt she stood upon shaky ground. She was wider and wider awake as the night slowly passed on and she did not know what to do. At last she went to the family altar where, in her fathers lifetime, her family used to pray and worship together in complete harmony. There she knelt in prayer all by herself. While she prayed a voice speaking to her in a clear voice said, Joan, I am going to Chittim before you. Then no worry or anguish will overtake you. The river Tiber shall wash you out on the shore of salvation and you shall sing in the island of peace. Joan did not understand the meaning of what the voice said to her, and she could not reason out way the voice should speak to her at all. She could only think it was an answer to her sacrifice of heart at the altar of God.
CHAPTER SIX
After the burning of Rome Nero Claudius Caser had a new palace built which, in its structure and beauty, gave expression to the Emperors dream of life. It was called domus aurea, a palace of gold. Different kinds of lamps which he plundered from conquered countries lighted the palace in different colours. An exceedingly burdensome and exacting feast was being arranged. Quite a number of gold-plated boats built in different sizes and shapes moved in a sliding motion upon the beautiful lake which was built to encircle and adorn the palace. In the boats were pleasure-hungry daughters of Roman aristocrats who dressed in scantly clothing. They showed the most tempting parts of their flesh as prominently as possible. They danced about stretching out their hands on either awaited the arrival of Caesar. Without being bashful in the least they exposed their breasts bare, covering only the teats. They made their broad thighs visible as high up as possible and they heartily laughed in derision at the big dark human slaves who rowed the boats for them. They were drunk with wine and the way they laughed betrayed their desire for the opposite sex. While thus the aristocratic women enjoyed sailing on the lake, a loud voice cried, Make way for Titus Flavius Vespasianus, the favoured of Caesar. Outside the compound of the grand palace twelve African Negroes with curly hair carried Flavius Vespasianus. The famous Roman general who had once conquered Haspania and even Britain, and his handsome son who too was called Titus after him, came in a gold-plated palaquin. People who passed one another on the highway gave way to the carriage as it moved along. From where they were father and son viewed the sight presented by the almost naked women sailing on the lake around the domus aurea. It was obviously a delightful spectacle to witness for them; they sometimes winked eyes seemingly pleased and bewitched by what they saw. While they looked on a well-proportioned blonde whose beauty was beyond description left her boat and walked towards them. In a few moments there she stood, just in front of them, a maiden whose charm would inflame any mans lust, be he a warrior or a cleric. Titus the son of Vespasianus looked at her without taking his eyes off even for a moment. The maiden then came closer to the door of the palanquin and greeted them saying, You are the favoured of Caesar. May god Mars shower upon you prosperity like rain, and let the god Bachus grant satisfaction of your desires tonight. Titus replied, You have monopolized all the favour of Venus, the goddess of beauty. Even the gods must be jealous of your looks! Sweetest one, Rome has never seen a creature as beautiful as the one who is now standing before me. Tell me your name, and we will proclaim it throughout the length and breadth of the land, and I will put your image among the gods of my family. The Lady, exposing her two beautiful big breasts and crossing one of her very white thighs against the other, gave him a smile which was infectious and said, Though I am not as beautiful as Flora, the goddess of flowers and springs of water, and though I am not as pretty as a goddess Pasiphae, daughter of Helios who became the wife of the King of Crete, my name is Flora Pasiphae. Oh, you who brought greatness and glory to Rome, let flowers of blessing
rain upon you, and let wisdom issue and flow from you like water as it issues from a spring. Even as Pasiphae became the wife of the King of Crete, how I wish I would also be so blessed that I may become the wife of a chieftain like you, and gave him a smile which revealed that she needed a man. A blow of bugle sounded in very high jarring notes and everybody knew that Caesar himself was arriving. All invitees to the big feast of pleasure had come by then. Following fast upon the bugles sound Caesar, dressed in his most magnificent robes and obviously intending to appear dignified and impressive before the elite of Rome, entered the hall accompanied by his second wife Poppae Sabina, and the whole congregation stood up in salutation. As soon as he was seated Caesar motioned the assembly to sit down. The scented smell of the costly garments of Roman aristocrats filled the air. Then mixture of flower petals and rich perfume rained from the ceiling above on the crowd below. There were Greek dancers very close to Caesar. They were almost nude, Poppaea, Caesars wife looked at these dancing girls with eyes of jealously and resentment while Caesar help up his blue diamond field glass and looked through it here and there at the crowd. As soon as he sighted a beautiful lady named Flora Pasiphae and Titus, son of Vespasianus sitting together among the crowd, the skin of his forehead crumpled heavily in obvious disappointment and jealously. He whispered to his wife and said, Theres a lady there who is as fair and lovely as you are. She must have been created by goddess Minerva without the consent of Jupiter and June, and looked on through his glass half-closing his left eye. Titus noticed that Caesar looked at them without taking his eyes off even for a moment. He said to Flora, Caesar is concentrating on us. He cant miss any beautiful woman that comes within his sight. He once fell into trouble with a Ligian princess who used to live in the house of Gen. Aulus Plaulius, and one who was in love with Vinicius. His first wife Messalina was supplanted by Poppae Sabina, that woman whos now sitting by him. And Poppae is a woman of exceeding cruelty. She even induced Nero into killing his own mother. Nero himself is as cruel as Poppae. And he is as lustful as he is brutal, always hungry with an insatiable hunger for beautiful women. So, fair Flora, be very careful against his advances. A cruel tyrant like this man who is so fully given to pleasures will surely die a ghastly death. He is drunk mad with power, and he is hungry for pomp and splendour. With his own hands he lighted the torch to burn the city of Rome and resolved to build a new city at Antium. Sometimes his sinful acts rebounded against him and he had to seek shelter in Bysantium. And he was so foolish he couldnt realize that what he feared was the outcome of his own sinful deeds. Therefore, my dearest, I see that the end of Caesar is not very far away. While he was whispering these words to Flora, Caesar motioned him to come to him. As he was getting up he said, Look, Flora, he has called me. Your beauty has maligned me before Caesar. Just because you are so fair and charming he is already jealous of me, though there is nothing to be jealous about. In any case, if he is jealous of me because of you, I count that a blessing from the gods. He walked straight to where Caesar was sitting. Hundreds of Greek maidens, all of them almost totally naked, danced about in gay abandon on the spacious floor in front of Caesar. From the balcony above the Publius ovidius Naso was played in a soft note. With his fingers Caesar pointed to a place in a soft note. With
his fingers Caesar pointed to a place where Titus was to sit. No sooner was Titus seated than Caesar broke into a fit of rage and cried. Even as the greatness of Rome is in my hands, anybodys life is in my hands. All the beautiful things within the Empire, all the beautiful maidens and all the heroes - are they not all under me? Though there are many gods in Rome, I am the god of all those gods. Hearing Caesar uttering these words to Titus just because Titus had been sitting with a beautiful woman, Poppae, Caesars wife, sulked and looked very grave. Caesar saw that his wife had a displeased look and he said to her, My dear wife, how greatly your beauty adorns my throne. Your winsomeness has doubled the glories of Rome. The fragrance of your sweetness has filled all the air from Britain to the river Euphrates. The fragrance of Egypt does not reach beyond the Red Sea, and the smell of the burnt offerings of the Jews does not cross the boarder of Jerusalem. But the sweet fragrance of my dear wife has gone from Caesars bed and spread all over the Empire and made the people drunk with its sweetness. As he spoke he fondled his wife by stroking her cheeks gently, while Poppae, seemingly unconcerned about her husbands caresses, looked at Flora with disdain and without taking her eyes off. While the dignitaries and the comely maidens of the Empire invited to Caesars grand feast thought that all the pleasures of the world were theirs, Valerius, guard of the throne, came in and knelt before Caesar and reported thus: You are the Lord of Lords. May the god Mars be pleased to grant you victory, and may the god Janus protect you behind and afore. Here, my Lord and my god, Mithras and Belisarius have come from Jerusalem with the news that the Jews have started a rebellion against the Empire. The messengers want to apprise you of the situation. Caesar turned to Titus Falvius Vespasianus and said, Flavius, winner of victory, bring those messengers to me, and let them tell me all that they know about the rebellious Jews. Falvius got up immediately and went out to call the messengers who came from Jerusalem. Amidst the din and noise of the big feast rumours of the rebellion in Judae were already abroad among the guests. And while Flavius Vespasianus had gone away to call the messengers from Jerusalem, Caesar had changed his mind and thought it should be better to neglect the troubles altogether. Even when General Falvius Vespasianus returned with Mithras and Belisanius, those messengers who came from Jerusalem, Caesar half-closed his eyes and without looking at them said, I am not inclined to hear news about war while merriments are going on, and I would not listen to news of rebellion while being in the midst of beautiful maidens. We have our soldiers stationed there. Cant they control the few Jews who have neither weapons nor leadership worth the name? If those Roman soldiers cant get the situation under control, they all ought to be put in the Talianum prison. Or should I exterminate all the Jews and offer their blood to the god Bachhu, and render their land desolate? All the time he talked in such abusive language he held his big field glass and looked through it here and there at the dancing women. Caesar was in straitened circumstances now. If he were to neglect the uprising in Judae outright, he had his fears and apprehensions; and if he thought of taking it seriously, then too he had hesitations. He thought and thought and at last said to General Falvius Vespasianus, Let them see me tomorrow in the house near the Vesta temple in the Caligula garden, that house in which secret matters of the state are discussed. And come along with them.
That evening Vespasianus spent very long hours and so the nest morning he was very listless. After the interview with Caesar in the garden Caligula was over, he went straight home. There he lay on a springy bed in his massage room, face downwards, almost totally naked. Two tall slave girls who he brought home after his conquest of Hispania, applied perfumed oil all over his body and vigorously massaged him. Vespasianus immensely enjoyed the touch of the slave girls and closed his eyes as they rubbed and stroked him over and over again. After a fairly long while he turned over, now facing upwards. He told the slave girls to apply more oil to the scars on his right thigh and chest, those scars he got during the war with Britain. Then he opened his eyes and said, Bring me wine soon. I will drink it for Caesar in the name of god Charon. One of the slave girls brought it in a gold vessel. Flavius Vespasianus said, Now let me drink so much so that Dianosuis will be jealous of me. How much I wish that the river Styx will overflow with wine so that the god Charon will be angry with Caesar. Pelops was killed by his own father Tantalus who cooked his flesh and offered it as a sacrifice to the gods. Who can say more or less the same thing may not happen to Caesar? And that beautiful wife of his is the goddess of pleasures, defender of immoral lusts, sister of cruelty and grandeur. Such a woman does not deserve life. Perseus beheaded that sinful woman Medusa and sprinkled her blood on the two wings of Pegasus. Who can say that this brutal wife of Caesar will not meet the same fate? O ye gods, how long are you going to watch idle without spitting out the curse of death on Caesar? The setting sun cast a golden bright light on the Captoline mountain. Titus, a handsome Roman soldier who was as gallant a soldier as his father Titus Flavius Vespasianus was in his room with Flora Pasiphae, an exceedingly beautiful damsel, without anyone else thereabout to disturb them. Neither of them felt a bit concerned about the greatness of Rome, nor with the rebellion in Judae and not in the least with domestic cares and worries. Between them the world was just a paradise, and life a bliss While thus a young man and a young woman were fanning each others passions ablaze, they heard the sound of footsteps and went to the door, opened it and walked outside. He did this to prevent admission of anyone into the room. A Roman soldier whose valour in the battle field was well-known, met him there on the verandah with a message from Caesar. The man handed the letter to Titus and saluted him and returned. Titus came back into the room and said to Flora, He who burnt our city and razed it all to the ground has again summoned my father and me. The brute who killed his own mother wouldnt do any favour to us. There is neither favour nor honour to be expected from him. He only wants us to manifest his greatness. While he needs us so badly to protect his life, we get only his curses in return, and when he demands of us to honour and glorify him we are rewarded with nothing else than punishment. Here we get his summon again, ordering my father and me to see him in his palace at Antium tonight. Anyway, let me have my chariot ready, and walked out. When he returned a few minutes later. Flora asked him what was the probable reason of the summon. Titus said, I do not know for certain, but I believe that he intends to send my father and me to Judea to quell the rebellion which the Jews have started there.
Placing her cheek against the chest of Titus and holding him right with her two arms round his body Flora whispered. If you go away to the land of Judea, we shall not see each other for a very long time. And you know the manner Caesar looks at me. I cant help fearing him and I dread to think what will be my lot with you being so far away. With an almost trembling voice Titus replied, My dearest Flora, do not fear or worry. I will return a victor under my fathers command. When I come back again you and I will be united in a life of peace. We will then enjoy all the good things of life together as if all the world and the pleasures therein were ours. Besides joy, pleasure and peace, there will be honour and greatness for us. My darling, I am fortunate in that you were born so pretty. I offer a garland of honour to god Venus for your sake, for Flora, the goddess of flowers and springs is my goddess. While the city of Rome was full of noises created by those who made merriments with wine and women, and the sound of slaves from conquered lands being mercilessly lashed by their rude masters, the impact of the trouble in Judea was gradually being felt in Caesars palace and in the Roman senate. In spite of his best efforts it was no longer possible for Caesar to ignore the troubles. So he wrote a letter on the subject of the rebellion to be placed before the senate. As he was going from Tepidarium to Caldarium he was singing a song of his own composition. The song related to the story of the queen of dawn called Eos who fell in love with Tithonus, brother of Priam. Ever since the Eos had been spending her eternal youth without any happiness. Her charm and attractiveness gradually decreased until at last she turned into a locust. The song was as follows: Oh you, the queen of perfect beauty, Are you charms for only Aurora? And you, Tithonus, Who prefers the nights darkness to the light of Glory, Your share is the scum of love only. Two Armenian slave girl attended to him in his bath. While those slaves were trying to remove any speck of dirt from his body with the help of curved knives, he suddenly thought of the letter which he had written on the subject of the Judean trouble. He ordered one of the girls to fetch it from his table. He read it as the girls continued bathing him. It ran thus: Greetings in the name of Victoria, the conquering goddess of Mount Pilatine, Uranus and Ge had six sons and six daughters between them, but these sons and daughter all rebelled against their father. Likewise the twelve tribes of Judah have now rebelled against me their father. If what the Greeks believe is true, these rebellious tribes will be buried away like Typhoon, the hundred-headed phantom who was buried at Tartarus, below Mount Etna, by Zeus. Or else I will offer the flesh of the Jews to the god Mars like Tantalus did when he killed his own son Pelops, cooked his flesh and offered it to the gods for a sacrifice. Judah has rebelled, but Caesar is here upon his throne, under the palm leaves which signify victory and honour. Therefore, go ye to Jodepath and kill. Kill there in Beth-horon and spare not. Unseath your swords in Jerusalem and exterminate
them. Kill them in Gamala, and turn the sea of Galilee into blood. Are they not the nation who could turn the water of the sea into blood? Oh, you the sons of Priam who, like hyacinthus, are the beloved of Appolo and Zephyrus. I, Caesar your chief, have again composed a new song for this war. Hear now, this is the song Oh, you Rome, who art as fair as Hebe the goddess of youth, Dionysus has let wine rain upon thee, And Bellona has again given thee victory, We call Judah the name of Erebus of darkness, the son of chaos. We call Rome Elysium, the island of blessing, The sound of victory goes resounding in Antium, The glory of Caesar is ever increasing, for Caesar is to be in realm without end. None has been and will ever be born like him, as long as the world lasts, It is we who occupy the throne even beyond death. Oh my friends, stand upon the Capitoline mountain, and let the glory of Olympus be with you all. Nike, the goddess of victory of the Greeks is on our side. Libitina will bury Judah. Let the goddess of peace Eirene be with Rome forevermore. Nero Claudius Caesar. The members of the highest council of the Roman Empire, wearing their purple, stripebordered shawls upon their shoulders, assembled there in the spacious Senate hall. Among the well-informed Senators there was a young general, Sextus Julius Frontinus, who had once been Governor of Britain and he made quite an attraction. As soon as he entered the hall all eyes were set upon him, and it was known that his ideas would prevail when decisions were made. After the senate was formally opened a loud, clear voice read out the letter written by Caesar. As soon as the reading was over, Frontinus stood up. Seeming totally unconcerned about fear or favour of the Emperor he said in a sharp, loud voice, When the countrys peace is threatened and the greatest of war efforts have to be made, we cannot afford to listen to such common, street songs: nor can we indulge in personal adulations when we have to fight for the honour of the country. Rome is Rome, Caesar is Caesar. Nobody should confuse the two. There have been Caesars, and Caesars there will be. But Rome has been one and forever will be. This august council was not created to exalt Caesar but to defend and uphold the greatness and dignity of Rome. As he spoke he pointed with his right hand to the plaque on the wall with the letters SPQR (Senate Populusque Romanus), which means Senate and the people of Rome. There was pin-drop silence. Then Frontinus spoke in a louder voice and said, We must make our decisions according to the popular will of the whimsy and passions of Caesar. The harder we try to ignore the uprising in Judea, the more harm will we bring to ourselves. We cannot neglect it. Caesar has been trying to show himself as a good ruler to the world, and that things are running smoothly under his able leadership. That is why he has made utmost efforts to
pretend not to know, or to overlook intentionally the troubles in Judea. But it is not a thing which you can let die by ignoring, and so, here we assemble to make a decision. I have drafted a resolution for the consideration of this august council which, by your permission. I will now read out. (The proposal was as follows) Rome is again facing a threat by the Jews. The ultimate responsibility to quench this uprising lies on this senate of the Empire. We have unanimously resolved to authorize the Roman Army stationed in that land to suppress the internal trouble of Judea, and to invest it with full powers to act in any manner whatsoever as it thinks best, even if it means a full-scale war. In testimony whereof we subscribe our signature to this resolution in the name of the god Mars. The resolution, exactly as it was passed, was forwarded to Caesar. And Caesar gave his assent and stamped his imperial seal and signed his name on the resolution.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Aspasia, wife of Valerius Fabianus, Governor of Bithuania was all alone in the Governors palace. She was a high class Greek woman, and she was witty and beautiful. A slave maid whose duty was to watch the bed came in and said, Madam, General Horatius Cornelius has come to see you. Let him come in, said Aspasia and a bell was rung. A tall handsome Roman officer entered the bed chamber and bowed low before Aspasia and greeted her with the words, Madam, favoured, of Caesar, may peace be with you. Aspasia had never heard anyone pronounce a blessing on her when she was greeted or saluted. She was so surprised that Cornelius should do so, and she looked at him in amazement for quite some time. Cornelius said, Madam, now the Governor is away to Byzantium, but I have received an urgent call from Caesar. He has summoned me to Rome. Aspasia was silent for some moments and as she adjusted her skirt to cover her white beautiful thighs she said, You are a gallant, obedient and well-informed officer. Did you even know Lucuis Mummius Achaias? Cornelius replied, I do know his name, if he is the great General who made Greece a part of the Roman Empire. You are right. He is the man. Though he was a Roman I admired that General very much. After he exterminated the Achaean warriors he took the city of Corinth, and all the valuable things he captured he carried to Rome by ship. It was due to that General that Corinth was made the capital of Achaea by Rome. Cornelius asked, But madam, why have you mentioned the name of that General to me?
Aspasia replied, It is because I see similarities between you and that officer. It may be that Caesar does not like a pride of the Army like you to stay away in an out-of-the-way place like this and wants you to be close to him. Cornelius replied, Madam, the Governor is not here now. Whether Caesar wants me to be near him, or he is going to punish me, or he wants to send me to a more miserable place, I do not know. But his summon is very urgent, and I must go. Aspasia replied by saying that nobody could question the order of Caesar and that the time the order was received was the time to go. Cornelius turned about to leave when Aspasia said, Please dont leave so soon. You must have some wine before you go. So please sit down again. Cornelius replied, Thank you, madam. But from my father down we have never tasted any wine, Aspasia objected and argued, Why, all the Roman officers take wine. What could be the reason that from your father down you have never touched wine? Your father too was a Roman officer. And one other thing, when you came in you greeted me with those words of blessing which nobody else had ever done. But you didnt call upon the name of any particular god. What peace did you wish me? Cornelius replied, I believe even Caesar himself needs peace. And Rome has no god of peace, and Greece has no god capable of giving comfort. Even so, each and everyone of us wants to live in peace. That is the reason why they worship so many different gods, fearing that if they leave out one in their worship they will be deprived of peace. And that is why in one of the altars in Athens the sacrifice was offered TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. It was in the name of that UNKNOWN GOD that I greeted you and wished you peace. Cornelius answer made a deep impression on the mind of Aspasia. Being a Greek lady she had seen the altar upon which the sacrifice was offered to an UNKNOWN GOD. And now that Cornelius had wished her peace in the name of that Unknown GOD, her curiosity about and her desire to know that GOD increased manifold. What kind of God must He be? What must be His name? Who might be His worshippers? Who would be able to tell her anything about HIM? Many Christians were brutally killed at Circus Maximum in Rome, and they fearlessly and squarely looked at death in the face. Were those martyrs the worshippers of THE UNKNOWN GOD? She recalled to mind that Jewish young man called Paulus, a famous prisoner in Rome. Could he be a follower of the unknown God? And there was a Greek Physician Lucanus by name, who used to accompany Paulus. Who did Lacanus by name, who used to accompany paulus. Who did Lacanus worship? She was now determined to seek with all her strength, mind, heart and soul and find out the Truth. Quite a number of troopships of different sizes and builds were there in the harbour of the city of Ostia, ready to sail at any moment. General Titus Flavius Vespasianus, dressed in his full uniform, was looking at the setting sun. His son Titus was also there in his fathers house. He too was to sail for Judea. The noise of the farewell party on the eve of the troops departure was very loud indeed. In the officers Club were very many ladies who were skilful in the art of making the most of pleasures, holding cups of wine, and everyone in there was as eager and enthusiastic as possible. There was, however, an exception, and that was Horatius Cornelius, a centurion. Cornelius enclosed himself in a cabin of one of the ships which were to sail the next day. He was seriously thinking of his elder brother Julius Cornelius who was in Syria. He did not know whether he was dead or still alive. Would they ever meet again? He
hoped for the best and yet he felt somewhat ill at ease as the troubles had gone up to dangerous heights in that part of the Empire. It was to a war that he was going, but he had no reluctance at all to go to Judea, for it was the land of his birth where he had spent many a happy day along with his father, a Roman officer. Further-more, it was the motherland of Jesus, the man from Nazareth who he had secretly trusted. That was why he stayed inside a cabin in the ship all the time his friends enjoyed measures in the farewell meeting. He thought of his friend Macrobius whose hands beheaded Paul in Rome, and how great was the misery that befell him because he killed Paul. He made up his mind that even if he went to Judea in obedience of an order, and even though he might be engaged in a combat against the Jews, he would never be cruel against them, and would never rejoice at their misfortune. And he was firmly determined that he would never harm any Christian in that land. After making up his mind, he offered himself to God in prayer. At the farewell party one of the officers named Quadratus said in a loud voice, What is there to worry about? What is there to care for? Isnt this the heyday of our life? Let us make ourselves merry with these beautiful maidens who are as fair as Venus and more charming than Cleopatra herself. Let us make the night short without caring a bit either for Caesar or for the god Mars. Caratacus, another centurion rejoiced and said, I dont know who is Caesar and who is not. Rome is gradually losing her strength, and her glory is fast fading away. We the soldiers have created what is the glory of Rome. But in the end Caesar and his countries send us where death awaits us. We have conquered lands with our swords, and they enjoy the fruit of our sufferings without shame. They are ruthlessly tyrannical and tyrannically ruthless. Quadratus replied, That is absolutely true. But we are soldiers, and we are to go wherever there is trouble. We cannot complain. It is true that we repressed the Barbarian uprising, we settled the troubles in Dalmatia and Germania. We restored order in Genabum and Carthage where the Jews created disturbances. Who else do you think should go to Judea to restore law and order there messengers from Jerusalem. Mithras and Belisarius, was deplorable, unfortunate and unbecoming of the emperor. However, let that be enough. No more of those grievance, and he turned towards the ladies who came there to bid them adieu. In the spacious hall in which the farewell party was held, lamps were lighted at regular spaces in three rows, lengthwise. Attractive Roman ladies exposing as much of their flesh as possible and looking so lustful that it seemed as if they would tempt anyone down to hell, filled the room. The singing group began singing the song entitled Daughters of the Evening composed by Quinrus Horatius Flaccus for Hesperids. It was sung in a slow tone. The summary of the song is as follows - In the western horizon there is a garden of golden apples. Daughters of the evening watch over the garden with the help of the dragon. Hercules sent his twelfth worker who, with the help of Atlas, liberated the garden. It was very appropriate for the occasion. It was as if all the pleasures of the world flowed into that hall in which the departing soldiers and the Roman ladies enjoyed life without caring a straw for anything else in the world.
The hours passed and the music became softer. Those well-built Roman officers and the bewitching Roman ladies, wearing only a small piece of soft linen round their waists, enjoyed the pleasures as fully as they could in that hall of freedom, without anyone to disturb them. The late hours of the night and the intoxicating looks of the merry-makers were matching each other perfectly. They were free. Anyone who saw life in that hall that night would agree that those merrymakers were no other than the subjects of Hades, one of the sons of Kronos, on the other side of the river of death called Styx. In the Ostian harbour the Roman ships which were built in the likeness of Carthage ships move about in apparent confusion. The soldiers bound for Judea carried their kits into the ships. The commander, Gen. Titus Flavius Vespasianus, along with his son Titus, was in the ship Nereids which was originally a British ship captured by the Romans. Many slaves who were engaged to row the boats held their paddles and sculled in unison at the sound of the hammer and sailed upon the wide sea. Their commander Titus Flavius Vespasianus was a very able man. Beginning from a lowly home he rose to be a General. He proved his worth in the wars against Britain, Germany and Hispania. He became a member of the Roman Senate, and was once a very popular Governor in Africa. Once during Neros visit to Greece General Vespasianus accompanied him. In one of the public meetings to welcome the Emperor, the general dozed off while Nero was reciting a poem of his own composition. This disappointed the Emperor very much. After that incident Vespasianus lost favour of Nero, and their relation was very strained. However, when Judah was in turmoil again Caesar had to turn to him, for he couldnt do without Gen. Vespasianus. But the wounded heart of Vespasianus was not easy to be healed. He was secretly wishing the downfall of Caesar. He was determined to go to Judea and to his duty perfectly well just because his friends had complete faith in him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Johnathan and his friend Hannan left for Galilee to join there the band of John of Gischal of the Zealots. The Judean uprising to every nook and comer of the land. There were heavy fighting in such places as Syria. In the city of Caesaria the war had reached its zenith of intensity. Caesaria was one of the biggest cities in the eastern part of the Empire, next only to Jerusalem and Alexandria. In the very year that the disturbances broke out. Governor Floras exterminated numberless Jews. He captured and sent away many thousands of them as slaves to do the hardest kind of labour. Quite many escaped to the jungles and deserts. Anyone who helped the Jews was liable to be arrested, confined and charged with crimes involving severe penalties. The Governor of Galilee, Cestius Gallees, knew that the Jews meant business when they started the uprising, and that rebellion was not a plaything to be derided except at a very heavy cost. He therefore decided to exterminate them as fast as possible. So he headed for the theatre of war taking with him a considerable strength of combat troops. From Antioch alone the 12th Roman Brigade and an additional two thousand men drawn from other formations and six
companies of fighting men, two thousand cavalrymen, and three thousand archers contributed by Kings of different countries: and King Agripps force of two thousand men, and Soaemus, King of Emesas archers numbering four thousand, followed him. King Agripps himself, who was the bitterest hater of the Jews, accompanied Governor Cestius. Besides, quite a number of volunteers also followed him. The whole force marched towards Fort Chabul in which the Jews were stationed. Their immediate purpose was to besiege, capture and destroy the fort and finish off all the Jewish young men who were in it. One of the leading commanders in the fort was a young man no other Jonathan. Jonathan grew up in a good Christian home and although he was a patriot who was only too ready to sacrifice his life for his nation, there was no hatred whatever in him of men of other races. He was trained and skilled in the art tactics of war, and he was a man of unquestionable integrity and heroism. His love for the Jewish nation could not be excelled, but at the same time he abhorred its sins and wrongs. He didnt fight for his own benefit, but for the liberty of generations yet to be born. And now Governor Cestius Gallus and his men numbering many thousands had come to invade Fort Chabul in which Jonathan and his men were pitched for battle. The weather was fair and not a piece of cloud was to be seen in the sky. The other creatures inhabiting the earth had no notion of what was about to happen, and happily passed their time in the usual way. Wild weeds and flowers in and around Fort Chabul showed their beauty before God and in the sight of men. But the flower did not know that they bloomed forth and shed their fragrance abroad just to be stained and mixed with human sweat and blood. It was a pity that they sprouted and flowered on this day. The sentinels stood at the highest points of the watch tower and scanned everywhere, north, south, east and west. Upon the round wall of the fort there were watch houses at regular spaces. The Jewish young men in the towers were to signal each other if anyone of them sighted strange objects. On that bright sunny day the world looked more beautiful than on any other day. Every creature seemed to fulfill and satisfy the purpose for which it was created. The sun was past the zenith and getting nearer and nearer to the horizon in which it was to set, and as it was moving slowly it continued to shine upon Fort Chabul. The Jewish young men inside the fort were cleansing their weapons in the sunshine when one of the sentinels from the tower made a sign to Jonathan who at once ran up above. Jonathan carefully viewed the direction to which the sentinel pointed, and he saw that a whole forest was slowly moving towards Fort Chabul. The object moved closer and closer and before long he could see smokes- of dust being raised by innumerable human feet. Jonathan swiftly ran down below and ordered the Jewish militants in the fort numbering hundreds who were only too ready to fight and die for their land, to get ready at once. Each and everyone took position immediately without having to be told what to do. The enemies were now very close to them. Cavalrymen came in the front, Roman forces filled all the ground as they slided towards the fort. Cestius forces divided themselves into several groups before reaching the fort. They tried to make a flanking movement in order to attack the fort from rear and front. The Jews inside the fort were furious and determined not to endure without fully vindicating themselves.
The fort itself was King Solomons fight to Hiram, and for thousands of years it had stood there unshaken. However many might be their enemies, they were not in the least demoralized. The enemies came in an exceedingly great strength. The steel helmets and breastplates worn by them dazzled bright in the sun. Those in the front held war flags high on poles, and most of them held up their spears with the initials SPQR engraved on the blades. Numberless men held shields in their left hands to protect themselves while holding their very long spears aloft in their right. In the rear were hundreds of horse-drawn chariots which carried machines. The machines were of two types, one type was for breaking the fort and the other type could shoot out flames of fire. Jonathan and his men now saw that from all corners their enemies were advancing towards the fort and were closer and closer to it. From one side cavalrymen proudly advanced in measured steps appearing to have no fear whatever. Just a few steps before they reached the fort, Jonathan and his men showered down arrows on the enemies like a heavy rain. The Romans halted and slipped back. Quite many of them should have fallen dead but for their good shield and weapons. They move forward again, and the Jews continued to let darts rain on them without ceasing for a long while. But the enemies were so well-equipped to defend themselves against the arrows, only a few fell and they advanced again onto the fort. At last they reached the fort and their machines began to hit its wall in many places. Others put up ladders against the wall and tried to climb it over. While the enemies were busy all round the fort trying to break through or climb over its wall. Jonathan and his men suddenly released an avalanche of rocks and stones from the top of the fort. Big and small blocks of stones fell like rain on those who were climbing up the wall on all sides, and even on those who were on the ground. In a few minutes the ground was littered with corps and many wounded bodies and blood flowed freely. On the top of the fort Jonathan ran hither and thither commanding and instructing his men who cried their war cry. To the mountain, Any of the enemy who came within their reach was quickly smashed down with a sword. The Romans hit the fort hard with their machines to break it and they shot flames of fire into the fort. Big balls of fire now fell in torrents inside the fort, and the gallant Jews there as quickly extinguished any fire the Romans started. But at long last the Jews could no longer hold the fort. Their bravery was unexcelled and their perseverance beyond description. But they were too heavily outnumbered. The Romans broke through and there entered innumerable soldiers into the fort. A hand-to-hand fight between the Romans and the Jews ensued. In the wide front yard and on top of the fort wall and in the staircases, indeed everywhere, they cut, they stabbed and they hit with all the strength they could summon with sharp or blunt weapons, anything which was handy. Some Roman soldiers succeeded in climbing, up to the top of the fort wall just there where Jonathan stood, and anyone who came within his reach did so to fall by his sword, and the more they came, the more they fell. At last a tough Roman officer and Jonathan were engaged in a duel. With all his strength Jonathan tried to cut him down but the Roman made good use of his shield and defended himself well. When Jonathan adjusted his position the Roman attacked and narrowly missed him. Jonathan was a little dizzy and rapidly swirled round. The Roman took advantage of this and tried to jump upon Jonathan who nicely
defended himself. And now Jonathan was again ready to attack but before he did so the Roman was stabbed behind. Blood vigorously spilled out, and he fell down to the ground below with his arms stretched full length on either side, never again to show his cruelty to the Jews. Jonathan looked at the youth who stabbed the Roman from behind. It was his friend Hannan, Jonathan smiled, and holding his sword in readiness, ran downwards to help his friends. The way down was full of Roman soldiers coming upwards, and Jonathan had to clear his way by killing all those who appeared before him. Though he was one against so many, his enemies were practically handicapped as he was above them and they were below him. Some Romans trying to hit Jonathan couldnt reach him and landed their spears and axes on the heads of their own friends. So they had to withdraw themselves, and they retreated down below. It was very late now and the dusk was about to fall. Quite many Jewish heroes had fallen, and the dead bodies of Roman soldiers were everywhere inside and outside the fort. After Jonathan came down into the fort he killed so many enemies, but the Jews were too heavily outnumbered. He thought that they would not be able to continue the fight any longer. He thought also that it would be unwise if all the Jews fought to the end and died, with no one left to carry home the news of the battle in the fort. He therefore called two of his men, Amasi and Rachem, into a room in which they used to discuss confidential matters. He said to them, You know all that has happened and you know what our fate is. Go straightaway to Jerusalem and give the news there. I will stay and fight to the end. If I happen to be alive when the fight is over, I too will come to Jerusalem, and he sent them off to run as swiftly as they could. In the darkness of the moonless night the Romans lit many torches, and their brass shield ghastly dazzled in the light of the torches. When some of them waved their swords and accidentally touched the torches, sparks of fire dangerously flew about. The whole fort was now full of a stinking smell, the same of a mixture of Roman and Jewish blood covering all the floor. In the darkness the Jews were much more agile than the Romans. Those of the Jews who were still alive were hiding in the dark corners, knowing that they were so heavily outnumbered, and if they saw any Roman soldier alone, they easily slayed him. However, by midnight it appeared that it was no longer possible for them to continue the battle, brave though they were. Jonathan instructed his men to hide and then run for their lives. So quite a few men escaped from the fort. Jonathan himself determined to fight and die in defence of the fort in which his own men bravely died. But he changed his thoughts, and decided he would be more useful for his nation if he escaped alive than if he died. He took the uniform of a Roman soldier who lay dead near by and disguised himself like a Roman so that he might escape unknown, for all routes were now full of enemies. Then he went up to the top of the fort where in a corner of one of the watch tower he saw the dead body of his friend Hannan, who had saved him, from being slain by a Roman officer. Full of fear that he would be seen and detected by the enemy. Jonathan held the hands of his friend which were still warm, and he whispered, My dear friend, you too have left me now. I will follow the trail of your blood to the end. I promise you that full revenge will be taken on those who shed your blood. Your life and blood which you have so bravely given will
bring a new era of peace and prosperity to your nation. Good bye, we shall see each other again in the heaven of heavens. The dawn was soon to break, and while it was still dark Jonathan escaped through Gideons Gate of the fort. Jonathan was all alone on his way to Jerusalem, and he walked along slowly, for it was dark. At the break of the dawn he looked backwards at Fort Chabul form a place where it could be seen, and he was gripped by very painful thoughts. A famous fort ever since the time of Solomon, and he was responsible for its safety and accountable for its fall. And he could not hold it against the Romans. He went on again some length, and stood and looked back, gnashing his teeth in anger. It was impossible to hold it. He was overwhelmed. He couldnt help leaving in desperation. Tired and exhausted, hungry and footsore, he treaded along up and down. His thirst and hunger only increased his hatred for Rome. His defeat told him to be more determined to fight for the liberty of his nation. His heartache caused by the fall of Chabul would be healed only by a harder fight against the enemy. He summoned all the strength and courage in him to walk along, for now he was really tired and sleepy. He was thinking of his only sister Joan who was at home all alone. He could never forget Joan even in the midst of a hand-to-hand fight where blood gushed out copiously. He recalled also what his father had said a long time ago. He said, I see the end of Jerusalem is not very far away. You will soon see the city being besieged by alien soldiers. And when you see such a thing come to pass, remember what Jesus of Nazareth has predicted, Let those who live in Judea flee. There shall not be left any stone upon another without being destroyed. And that will be the beginning of the birth pains His father was, it occurred to him, absolutely right. Yet these words of his father didnt make him the least afraid, nor was he discouraged, and he had not the faintest thought of denying his nation and country. At long last he approached the fort of Jerusalem, and found that all the doors were locked inside, Jonathan sat there outside the wall all by himself as there was no means of entering the city. From where he sat he could hear cries of joy inside the fort. He listened attentively, and the sounds of joy gradually subsided until it was all silent again. Then all of a sudden the sound of a trumpet startled Jonathan from the watch house above, followed by a loud cracking sound of the door near him being opened, and Jonathan stood up, being surprised. A chariot drawn by two horses came out of the fort. The chariot bore the star of David on a pole. A handsome Jewish youth who stood erect on the chariot jumped down as soon as he saw Jonathan and saluted him. Jonathan returned his salute and said, Let the god Mars be thrown away. Praise be to Jehovah. The young man carefully scanned Jonathan and asked. Are you Jonathan, leader of the Gischal band of John? I am he. Now Chabul has fallen and with it the Jewish young men. But we are not defeated. Let the God of Jacob be praised, and let Him protect Jerusalem, replied Jonathan. Then he was driven into the city of Jerusalem into he Chariot, there to be given a heros welcome.
CHAPTER NINE
Anticipating a great battle between them and the Romans, the Jewish leaders worked hard to make the Jerusalem fort as strong and formidable as possible. They removed all traces of Roman lords and renovated the city. From Herods palace and Fort Antonio they removed the Eagle, the imperial insignia of Rome, and in its place they put up the Star of David, their national emblem. They replenished stocks of their armament and food. Although they suffered defeat in some isolated fighting, they won in more of their encounters with the enemy, and they were far from being discouraged. Indeed the city of Jerusalem echoed with cries of jubilation day after day over their victories. The morale of the people was very high. Their leaders, however, had their misgivings. They knew that all might not be as well as they wished it to be. They knew how powerful their adversary was and they knew also the strength and limitations of their own nation. They made every possible effort to be always in a state of preparedness because they must not be defeated by Rome. Every able-bodied Jew was being trained for war, learning how to handle war weapons day in and day out. The Jewish leaders were also aware of the need for new and better leadership at the top, so they assembled in the temple at Jerusalem to make a decision on this vexed issue. In their determination to fight against the Romans at any cost, they stood solidly in closed ranks. But when the question of rank and honour came, they were divided. Who would not like to be crowned at the end of the war? Regarding appointment of generals to lead their forces against the enemy also they differed very widely in their opinions. After a prolonged debate Joseph, son of Gorion, and Annania, the High Priest, were voted to be empowered with full authority over the city of Jerusalem. Simon, the son of Eleazer, was demoted because his name had been tarnished in financial matters. And another man by the name of Eleazer, son of Joseph, was selected to be commander of Jericho and the former land of Manassia. John of the band of Essin was appointed commander of Lydda, Joppa and Emmau in addition to Thamna. Another John, son of Annania was selected to command Gophna and Aerabatha. While the Jews were making all possible preparations to fight the Romans, General Titus Flavius Vespasianus and his troops were marching on to Judea. General Vespasianus sent his son Titus to Egypt to bring out from there the 15th Brigade of the Roman Army. Besides the main force from Rome and those who were already in Asia Minor, troops contributed by the different kings within the Empire joined the expedition, and they marched towards Judea to finish off the Jewish race. General Vespasianus began the attack from the northern side of Judea. The Jewish administrator of Judea at that time was Joseph, son of Mathia. Joseph was not a trained militarian and he had never seen war himself. But he was a widely-read and wellinformed man. He had a very wide outlook. He became known all over the world as a Jewish historian.
Joan was at home while both sides were readying themselves for the coming war, and she was very lonely. She had no trouble about money as her father had left her a good quantity of gold and money. She seldom left the house except to buy her daily needs of food. One night she had a strange dream, and in her dream she was intensely longing for her brother. Then she saw him holding his sword aloft, waving it and gyrating it about in the midst of a hand-to-hand fight. From a distance she cried to him on top of her voice but her brother could not hear her. Her dream-call woke her up, and when she was awake she was still sobbing in fear. Not knowing what to do in such a situation, she sat up and prayed. She became all the more anxious about her brother, and for a moment she gave up all hope of ever meeting him again. Her dream might come true. There was nobody with her to comfort her, and with whom she could share what she saw in her dream. So she tried to comfort herself and said, My dream might mean that we are going to see each other again alive. Why! I didnt see him dead! It is always that when we have given up all hope. Gods help comes to us. The next morning she heard a knock at the door. To her utter surprise a fair-looking, somewhat dark-complexioned girl who was not very neatly dressed, appeared at the door. Joan did not know who the girl was, Are you Joan, Jonathans sister? asked the girl. Yes, I am Joan, what is the matter? Has something happened to him? said Joan. The stranger said, Be not worried. I have not come with any bad news about your brother A little while ago I saw a man who looked very like Jonathan riding into Jerusalem fort in a horse-drawn chariot. At the time your brother left here for Galilee, he went along with my brother Hannan. While they were on duty guarding Fort Chabul, my brother in a letter said, Jonathans sister is Joan, please pay a visit to her sometime. When I saw the man who I thought might be your brother, I recalled my brothers message. I thought if the man I saw was Jonathan, you might know, and I expect news about my brother from him. Joan was happily surprised. Her glooming face brightened at hearing what Hannans sister told her and she said, Really? My brother Jonathan! Did you really see him? I am not quite sure. But I do not think I am mistaken. Your brother was the commander of my brothers company, and his face was fairly familiar to me. And it was a little while ago that I saw him, replied the girl. With tears rolling down her rosy cheek Joan said, My friend, my dear friend, please pardon me. I know your brothers name, but only his name. And I do not know what your name is. Please tell me, will you? The girl replied, My name is Merab, I am of the line of Zebulun. Havent you met your brother yet? Joan said, Ever since they left Jerusalem I have not heard any news about my brother, I do not know whether he was alive or dead. If the man you have seen is my brother then this is the first news about him. Merab suggested, Shall we go to the Temple, then, and find out the truth? You too must like to ascertain if the man I saw is your brother. What do you think?
Of course, I would like to go. Please come inside and wait for me. Let me dress up first, Joan agreed. And she was ready soon. She took some money with her to buy something to eat for her brother. The streets of Jerusalem were extremely hot in the summer sun. Joan and Merab walked in a hurry, and passed the people on the road as if they knew none of them, and headed direct for the Temple. When they reached the Temple premises they found that very tight security control had been made to prevent anyone entering there. Joan and Merab explained their purpose to the guard of the first gate, but they could not be given permission to enter. Joan was very bewildered and perplexed, and ventured to ask, Can you tell me at least this one thing? Another guard of a superior rank, immediately shot back. What other thing? Joan replied, My elder brother Jonathan went to Galilee to join the company of John at the outbreak of hostilities. I have not heard any news about him since I want to know where my brother is at present. The guard of the gate was silent for some moments. He was not sure if the whereabouts of Jonathan could be divulged to any one. Wait here, Ill go and ask, he said and went inside to ask his superior how he was to answer the question. While the guard had been away inside Joan looked upwards to the upper floor and saw her brother Jonathan standing there through an open door. Being unable to restrain herself any more, she at once jumped inside with no thought at all about the guards. Another guard who was thereabouts did not know who she was. .Was she a harlot? Could she be a spy, a secret agent of the enemy? Who and what could she be? Why did she jump in the way she did? She was caught, and they began beating her. Come down, my brother, help me, help me, cried Joan in agony. But those Jews who caught her did not know who her brother was. Jonathan heard a noise of trouble in the lower courtyard of the Temple and listened. What he heard was the scream of a woman in pain crying to the top of her voice. He had no idea at all that it could be the voice of his own sister Joan. A little later he went outside to see what had happened, and he saw four young men carrying out Joan. Jonathan stopped them and he looked at the wounded girl. He could not easily recognize her because her face was very thickly stained with blood. He felt her pulse. She was not dead. Now he examined her more elaborately. Looking at the edges of her ears and the way she wore down her hair, he felt she resembled his sister Joan. Then he saw that the girl who was blood-bathed and in a state of unconsciousness wore a gold necklace with a gold emblem of a fish attached to it. Jonathan could not control his emotions. Joan, my beloved sister. Poor sister, mine. Wake up and answer me. I have come back now, I have been so eager to see you, and I expected to see you happily. Come, Joan, wake up. With his eyes free of tears he turned to the guard and angrily rebuked them. What have you done to this innocent girl, you cowards? What wrong has she done to you that you have tortured her in this way? The commander of the guards replied, Please pardon us. Sir, we did not know that she is your sister. Moreover, we have recently had trouble with another girl. Only a few days ago a girl came, and she said she had a very important business inside the Temple and she was admitted. But she turned out to be a spy of the Romans and an enemy of the Jews, trying to
induce our leaders by means of her womanhood into giving Temple secrets to her which she needed for onward transmission to our adversaries. She even succeeded in seducing Bar Tebilia, one of our elders. But fortunately they were caught in time, and both were executed in the valley of Hinnom. Your sister ran into the Temple without first giving her identity, and so she was caught. Jonathan said, I understand and I am in agreement with anyone doing his duty. You should have caught her. But you must have brought her to the leaders without first torturing her. I can not understand the manner in which she has been punished. Mind you. If my sister dies at all, you will all be stoned to death. I fought for our nation at Fort Chabul, and I didnt die there only not pardon this awfully cruel act of madness on my beloved sister. Arrest a culprit by all means, and if his bona-fide is proved beyond doubt, punish him even to death. But, I tell you, never do any shameful thing like this again to an innocent person. Jonathan lovingly embraced his sister and tenderly wiped off the stains of blood from her face with his garment. He ordered the four Jewish young men who carried her to take her to a priest for treatment, and he accompanied them outside the gate to go to the priests house. Just outside the gate Merab halted Jonathan and introduced herself to him. I am Merab, sister of your friend Hannan. Is my brother also in Jerusalem? If he is not in Jerusalem, where is he? Jonathan was taken aback. He just did not know what to say, or how to say what he knew. He was quiet for some moments and at last, slowly and reluctantly said, He is not here in Jerusalem. Merab insisted, Where is he then? When did you last see him? Jonathan found it hard and embarassing to decide whether to tell her the truth outright, or to speak to her in an evasive, roundabout way giving her just a hint. Then he said, We were there in Fort Chabul together. I was the commander of the guards. Only last week the Romans came in great strength and invaded the fort. We fought hard in defence. When I was locked in a duel with a Roman officer I would have been killed but for your brother who came to my rescue by stabbing the Roman from behind. Jonathan spoke in an emotionally choked voice and Merab listened to every word attentively, with her eyes full of tears. Jonathan continued, The fight began at noon and went on very long after the fall of dusk. Our young men fought bravely. But we were too much overwhelmed by the enemy and so we could hot held the fort. I was the last of the Jews to leave fort Chabul. Merab asked, Did my brother also leave the fort, or did he die there fighting? Jonathan replied, Before I left the fort I went up to the top of it. I saw Hannan lay there in the corner of a watch tower. I held his hands with mine. It was there that he sacrificed his life for our land and nation. Hearing that her brother had died, Merab fell to the ground unconscious, Jonathan held her in his arms and she too was taken to the priest for treatment. She soon regained consciousness and still sobbing, woke up and cried, My brother! Oh, my brother! How much I am going to miss you! Oh, to think that you have fallen and Rome will stand! I cannot afford to lose you. How lonely I shall be! My mother and myself alone will not able to stand the
strain of this ordeal. It is really that to be a Jew is to be a friend of death? I cannot understand why our nation should suffer in this way. The injury sustained by Joan was not as serious as it appeared to be, and she recovered before very long. With Jonathan at home now they were quite happy. There was peace now in Jerusalem and all Judea, though how long it might last was another thing. Jonathan could spend most of his time at home, except for a few hours training on some days to keep themselves fighting fit for any eventuality. Jonathan made repairs and renovated the house in which they had lived many happy years with their father. He knew that one of those days he would have to leave home again, and for Joan the work would be hardly possible. However, he didnt say anything about the future to Joan. One day Jonathan visited the Temple and heard from there that disturbances had broken out in Rome. The Jews were only too happy to know that the Roman government was in trouble. The Jewish authorities thought that Rome would not be able to do much against them if they had troubles at home, and that it would be wise for the Jews to take advantage of the situation. So they called an assembly of the most prominent leaders of the youth in Jerusalem to make a decision. John, leader of Gishal, and Gophna son of Annania, and Acrobatha were all there. But there was a wide divergence of opinion among them and they could not find themselves in agreement with one another. Some of -them were of the opinion that if there was trouble in Rome, they would have to neglect the problem of Judea, at least to some extent. If Judea was ignored, Roman soldiers already in there would be discouraged. So this was the most opportune time to wage a fullscale war. They were set for taking advantage of the situation without delay and attack Rome. But the Governor of Galilee, Joseph son of Matthia, held a contrary view. He stood up and said, I do not see how it will be easier to defeat the Roman force in Judea just because there is strife in Rome. We do not know what is the strength of the Roman forces in and around Judea. And General Vespasianus is no ordinary man. Also, they may not neglect this region just for the sake of the trouble in Rome. At best they may delay attacking us for sometime. Otherwise they will not be easier for us to conquer. Even if additional forces are not despatched from Rome, those who are already stationed here make up quite a strong force. My own idea is against trying to take advantage of the situation by attacking them, but to reinforce our fort and defence mechanisms. We can make the best use of this temporary full by replenishing our stocks of food and weapons, and for training our young men. I do not think the present trouble in Rome will not stall their work in this land. Now they have begun in a small way what is to become a big war. They do not fight for Caesar but for Rome. So before they get things go in full swing, we, the leaders, better return to our respective places. Let us make additional weapons, fortify our defence measure and reinforce our position. They are to come from across the ocean, and though they are numerically far superior to us, we can conquer them, only if we are united in our efforts. After Joseph spoke another administrative official from Galilee who worked under Joseph himself stood up and vehemently opposed what had just been said. Implying in his speech that Joseph was soft and even pro-Roman, he said, Our young men are just sitting idle with nothing to do. We must not allow them to rust. Unless we take advantage of this trouble in Rome, we are doomed to utter shame and defeat. And Galilee is governed by one who has
no knowledge whatever of military life and war. In that very area of the land the fiercest of the Roman commanders, General Vespasianus, has already taken over command. When our enemies are fully arrayed to attack us, what gain can we expect by sitting idle, except death and defeat? If we can at all defeat their forces in this country, they are not in a position to send additional forces from Rome. This time of their trouble is a golden opportunity for us. It appeared that a consensus of opinion was far from being reached. So Manahem, who presided over the deliberations, told them to keep an eye on the Romans and their movements, and to take action as and when occasion demanded, each in his own area, and declared the discussions closed. The meeting dispersed and they left the place to return to their places. No sooner had they reached back in their respective places than the Romans opened their attack. Little fighting was started in the south. But Syria and Galilee being the areas of command which General Veaspasianus had taken over recently, the main invasion was started from there. Advancing north to south they went on fighting to repress the Jewish rebellion. But they found the Jews very tough, very very hard to subdue as they fought back tooth and nail for the survival of their nation, and they had amassed a considerable quantity of war weapons to fight even a big power like Rome. So they were not an easy victim even for the mighty empire of Rome. As long as Jonathan could stay in Jerusalem, Joan and he lived together in peace, and they used to visit their fathers grave together. They arranged their furniture and other possessions, including money, as properly as it could be done. Their father, Joseph of Arimathea, was a wealthy man and left them plenty of money and valuable things. So they didnt have to worry about their living. Instead their material possession created something of a problem for Jonathan when he thought of what might happen in the future. Suppose Rome succeeded in capturing Jerusalem, and Joan and he were taken captives, or if they died in the war, all that they had would be seized by the Romans. And when he considered disposing of their possessions, he did not know how long the temporary peace would last, during which they would still need them. He was in a fix.
CHAPTER TEN
In that year also Nero proclaimed a national holiday, and he took it much more serious than ever. He knew that he was no longer popular with the Generals of the Army, nor with the Governor of the provinces of the Empire. Now he wanted to turn to the people. The public would get as much joy as possible out of its celebrations. He understood that his popularity with the common people had also waned and he wanted to restore the good rapport he had with them. To add to his fading popularity with one and all, troubles had broken out in Judea, and this increased the hatred his subjects already had for him and their resentment against the way he ruled over them. Thousands of Roman soldiers had lost their lives in Judea. The reason for such a loss of precious lives was attributed to Caesars slovenness. Caesar spent almost every day of the year making merriments with wine and women.
And there were two courtiers of Caesar named Nymphidius Sabinus and Aphonius Tigellinus. These two men were senior Praetorian leaders, and both of them were all out to serve their selfish ends. It was at the instance of these two men that Caesar proclaimed the great holiday, to be a holiday with a difference. These courtiers suggested to him that it would be a good means of finding the peoples favour again for the Emperor. The motive behind their suggestion was, however, to appease the discounted generals and the people for their own benefit. Nero himself, though he was aware of his waning popularity, thought that no real harm could be done to him once he was seated on Caesars throne, and he was inclined to hear and welcome any flattering advice which was given him. He was complacent and complaisant. The fact that the occupied the throne put him high on the mountain of pride, and it obstructed his vision, and his craving for more power and pleasure obscured his conscience. His two courtiers knew his weakness, that he was not only obsessed with pimp, pleasure and glory, but also that he had gone mad in his desire for these things. That was why they suggested the great holiday which was to last seven days, the last day being the birthday of Nero. In order that there might be as much joy and pleasure as possible during the holiday, it was decided to send for men and women who were skilled in different kinds of entertainment from all over the Empire. Those who were to come included the strong men of Gaul who would display a fight using barbed-head spears and nets, and famous dancing maidens from Greece. The king of Myceneas of Crete island and his warriors were to show how to fight a lion. Egyptian horsemen who were daring warriors were to come and, dressed in the uniforms of Amun, Re, Ptah and Sutekh battalions, would demonstrate how fighting takes place in a battle-field. Thirty Spartan ladies whose swiftness in running was compared to that of a lion were sent for. They were to run after a lion in the arena of Circus Maximus. There were many more to come, strong men, able athletes, it take part in the celebrations. As it was bound to be a grand spectacle to witness, all peoples of the Empire were invited to come. To Tigellinus the seventh day of the holiday was the most important one. It was the last day and it was Neros birthday. The most spectacular of the intended show was a real fight between Roman soldiers and Jewish captives in Circus Maximus. The Jewish rebellion was dismissed by many as a minor trouble. But it could bring dire consequences to the life of the Empire. The show was intended to make the Jews as despicable and contemptible as it could be done, and it was humanly possible. The most-elaborate preparations were made before the beginning of the big event. Big crowds of people began walking towards Circus Maximum from dawn-break on the first day. The enormously heavy mass of the multitude walked slowly as if in a sliding motion. Outside the round, enormous building of Circus Maximus there were thousands of hawkers, and small shops, selling food, drink and various other things to eat for those who came without first having their breakfasts. Amidst the great throng some gangs of kidnappers and robbers were busy in their own war. Any woman walking alone anywhere was an easy victim, and bodies of their victims were to be found here and there. There was a highway east of the place of entertainment which was called. The Broadway meaning the wide road to freedom, and a multi-storied building by the roadside. In the upper stories of the house there were hundreds of Roman ladies trying to earn money by entertaining the strangers. Within the compound of that
house there were shops in which the best kinds of wine manufactured on the banks of Nile were temptingly displayed. The sun was now fairly high up in the sky, and about a hundred men blew their trumpets in unison, so loud as to deafen the ear, to announce the arrival of Nero. The greet multitude in the Circus Maximus at once stood up to great the Emperor. Dressed in his magnificent robe Caesar came in, followed by his wife Poppae Sabina, Ophenius Tigellinus and Nymphidius Sabinus, appearing proud and displaying an air of superiority over others, accompanied them. As he was sitting down Caesar waved the crowd to be seated. The first item of the inaugural ceremony was to be performed by the dancing ladies of Rome who would demonstrate curious and uncommon dances. From the upper floor just above Caesar trumpets were blown. Then the big door to the arena, just opposite Caesar, was hit by a man dressed in the habits of Vulcan, the fire-god, with his hammer the other end of which was sharp-pointed. The very wide door then swang open, and quite a number of ladies came into the arena through it, dancing along as they came. Each wore only a tiny piece of silk cloth round her waist to cover herself for the sake of decency. Wearing young leaves of olive in the hair and holding and waving tail feathers of peacocks, and their big bosoms shaking right and left, the dancing maidens meaningfully arrayed themselves just opposite Nero. A fairly good distance behind them came those who played flutes and brass cymbals. Those musicians played a song which was composed by Nero himself specially for the occasion. The song was addressed to the son of the night god of sleep and brother of death, Hypnos. It was as follows: O Hypnos, thou who visited each human habitation at the dead of night, While I dream a pleasant dream upon my bed; And the moon and stars are shining bright upon the world outside, Let me meet the most charming and bewitching ones. Ah! I see the young and charming ones before me dancing, Those who share with the Caesar a sleeping cloth, How fair they all are, and they are not a sight in my dream! Came, beautiful ones, embrace me fondly at midnight. At the sound of the music the dancing maidens began to bend and curve then- naked bodies and make serpentine movements. When he saw the big white thighs of the dancers. Nero took his blue diamond field-glass and looked at them through it. And when they threw up their legs and showed thighs at full length, he opened his mouth wide as if he wanted to swallow them all. The dance was followed by a demonstration of battle by Egyptian horsemen. The same who dressed like the god Vulgan hit the door again which opened to the arena. Just then the horsemen of the companies of Amun and Re, who were to combine themselves into one fighting unit, in full battle dress, came out galloping into the wide field. The many thousands of spectators applauded them by shouting and by clapping their hands. The doorman then hit the second door open and out came another band of horsemen, of the companies of Sutekh and
Ptah, into the arena. The opposing forces now stood arrayed on the open field facing each other. Thousands among the crowd stood up as they were too eager to see them fight. Roman aristocrats sitting in the line of Nero were making bets as to which side would win, and pulled out and deposited their gambling moneys. Tribune Gaius said to Tribune Marcius who sat near him, Five thousand denarii if Amun and Re should win. Five thousand if Sutekh and Ptah should win, Marcius shot back. While thus the Egyptian warriors stood face to face to fight, it happened that Nero had ogled again at Flora Pasiphae, the beautiful Roman lady and girl-friend of Titus. Neros wife, Poppae, at once stood up and shouted, pointing to Flora, Throw that lady down to die, too. She is the devil who brings disorder to the throne. She is taking advantage of this days celebrations to supplant me with a view to marrying my husband. So many faces turned towards Nero when they heard the vituperations of his wife. Flora knew that thousands heard what Neros wife had said. She could no longer contain herself. So she stood up and said, Oh Caesar, may you live forever. The beauty of my face is a gift of goddess Venus and the favour of Eros, the goddess of love. And I thought that it is meant to glorify Rome. I cannot understand why I should be accused of causing trouble to the throne. Ours is the world where people with good looks are favoured. Isnt that true? But I am not, like Cleopatra, willing to supplant any mans wife, nor do I like to be supplanted like Messalina. I cannot allow my beauty to bring disorder to Rome. Poppae became ferocious at hearing those words of Flora. She rose up from her seat and ordered Neros guards to put Flora under arrest right then. Nero tried to calm down his wife. He said, My beloved wife, I declared this day a special day to honour you. May the mountain Olympus, the abode of all the gods, bring showers of blessing upon you like the pure dews of heaven, and let the world be reminded that you are the queen of glory. I have composed a song to let all the people of the Empire know how beautiful you are. Let me sing the song now. He climbed up to the raised platform with a lyre and sang: Thou art as fair as the goddess of beauty herself The fragrance of thy beauty is desired by men and women of all races; I will sing of thee in lyric sweet. Delight of my heart, my comforter, more charming than all other wives. Isis and Orisis, lo and Helen, fairest of the land, Thou Europa, the fair princess of Agenor, And Minos, though thou hast begotten Radhamanthus and Sarpelon, Not one of you even family compares to my wife, who surpasses all in beauty. He sang the song in his loud trembling voice before the innumerable crowd. Towards the end he became choked with emotion, and being on the verge of tears he concluded with these words:
Lovely and fair there are many in cities big, I sought and asked even about those across the seas; I didn t find one who could fully delight my soul, The earth will not beget one lovelier than mine own, Even in a thousand years hence. Poppae raised her head, and looked at her husband. She pretended being moved by the royal solo. But it was obvious she was not even faintly charged emotionally. However, this wild act of her husband pacified her, and the show was now to be started. The demonstration battle was to be a real battle. On one end of the wide field one side of the fighters stood arrayed, and the other side on the other end. They faced each other. There were six chariots on either side, and each chariot was drawn by two horses. The warriors stood erect inside the chariots holding their bows and arrows. Each soldier carried on his back a supply of arrows in a basket. The vast throng were now silent. They eagerly waited for the trumpet to blow when the fight would be started. They heaved deep sighs in fearful anticipation. All eyes were set on the platform just above Neros seat. Silence reigned supreme until the trumpeter raised his bugle which dazzled in the air. The silence was then broken by a loud sound, and the chariots of both sides began moving towards each other to fight. Just as the chariots began running, the fighting soldiers in them pulled their bows to full circle, the arrows slipped partly out and back now and then. In the first round of the combat they ran past one another without anyone being wounded, and the spectators heaved a sigh of relief. To announce the start of the second round of fight an animal horn was blown very loudly instead of the usual trumpet. The horses galloped out again. The leader of the Amun and Re, who was a big, stout fellow shot the Sutekh and Ptah man nearest to him through his throat. The man fell from the chariot and shivered and shook on the ground, bathed in blood. His body was removed just before the third round began. Now that one of the Sutekh and Ptah men had been killed by the Amun and Re, Marcius said to Gaius, How about my five thousand denarii? Gaius replied, Dont be in a hurry. You can not yet tell that the Amun and Re side is going to win. The fact is that the Sutekh and Ptah side have not yet shown their best. In the beginning of the third round the leader of the Amun and Re was shot down by one from Sutekh and Ptah. Any empty chariot was driven back through the open door. The fight continued for sometime and at last only one fighter each was left on either side. The crowds were restless to have a clear view of this last fight. Those in the back seats rushed forward, like a landslide, to have a look at close range. Tribune Marcius and Gaius rose from their seats and tried to encourage the fighters by crying to the top of their voices, but their real concern was their bet money. Even Nero himself stood up in order to have a clear view of the last fight. He held his blue diamond field-glass to his right eye. No sooner did the whistle blow than the horses galloped out, each towards the other. They ran and ran, and as they ran their arrows spurted out. The crowds at once shouted in unison - and they became all silent again in a moment. A moment later an arrow was embedded on the chest of the Sutekh and Ptah man, but he didnt fall. He ran on to the wall
and thence returned, pulled his bow to full circle and shot at the Amun and Re through whose right armshaft his arrow went. After this he himself, the last of the Sutekh and Ptah, fell down to the ground as if thrown by a strong hand, and was motionless. The Amun and Re man, too, climbed down from his chariot and breathed heavily. He stood leaning against the wall for fairly long time, all the while blood was dripping from his wound. The people of Rome were restless in their eagerness to witness the extra-ordinary show on that last day of the holiday which was Neros birthday. Thirty swift-running Spartan maidens were to be chased by ten hungry lions. They were allowed to carry a double-edged sword called gladius to defend themselves. This was to be followed by a hand-to-hand fight between the captured Jewish Zealots and Roman soldiers in the wide Circus Maximus. Even those who didnt take any interest in the shows already displayed, were now quite restless to see these two demonstrations. Quite a number of people had lodged there since the previous night lest they would not get a seat there. The seventh day came. Tigellinus went to the place of entertainment long before the Emperors arrival so that he might not lose the favour of Nero. He gave instructions to the big crowd already there on what to do when the emperor arrived. Beautiful ladies, as many as Neros years of age, were selected, and he instructed them on how to present garlands of flower when he arrived. And to please Poppae Sabina. Tigellinus brought the best king of diamond from the Temple of Jupiter. The precious stone was taken from one of the Egyptian pyramids by Cleopatra and she made a gift of it to Antony. Tigellinus kept the diamond with him to be given to Poppae Sabina. On that august day Nero and his wife were carried in a golden carriage by twelve dark, strong Idumean slaves. A herald on horse came before the royal carriage and announced in a loud voice, The gods have arrived here so that human eyes can see them. The throng that gathered alongside the highway shouted, as Tegellinus had instructed them to do. May he be the most glorious. Nero looked at the crowd by te sides of the road through his blue diamond binocular. As the carriage approached Circus Maximus, a hundred trumpeters blew their trumpets to herald the arrival of Nero, and the noise among the crowd was immediately replaced by dead silence. The Roman aristocrats already seated along the line of Neros seat stood up. Nero and his wife entered with proud bearing and in dignified steps. The multitude, too, stood up in salutation. The selected maidens came along in perfect line, led by Tigellinus, to offer their garlands of flower. The selected .ladies dressed themselves as attractive as possible. Flora Pasiphae came first in the line of the ladies, just behind Tigellinus, and Poppae looked at her with an eye of hatred and jealously. After the garlands were offered to Nero by the ladies and the diamond to Poppae by Tigellinus, the standing crowd sat down again. Tigellinus took his seat just next to Poppae, and he looked proud and satisfied. But Poppae severely reprimanded Tigellinus and said, Why the hell did you include Flora among those to offer garlands to my husband? Dont you remember how I dislike the way she cast a glance at my husband on the first day of the holiday? Do you not know that she is my enemy? You are as hypocritical as a fox and as proud as a peacock. You have made these arrangements not to honour my husband but to serve your own selfish ends. Tigellinus hang his head down in shame.
The bell had rung for the first item of entertainment for the day, and Poppae now looked away to where the show was to be displayed. The same man who dressed like Vulcan lifted his hammer and hit the very wide door open to bring out the Spartan runners. Thirty Spartan ladies, all of them nude except for a small piece of cloth worn tight round waists for the sake of decency, followed one another out into the open field. Each one held a sharp double-circle in the middle of the field facing outwards, and the spectators looked at them eagerly. The ladies too looked sideways, attracted by the doors through which the lions to be let loose. Then all of a sudden, without any warning, ten hungry lions were released from different sides and these lions naturally came for the ladies. Three ladies each combined themselves against one lion, and so the ladies and the lions moved towards each other. When one lion chased one girl, the other two tried to stab the lion from behind. The ladies ran so fast that even a lion could not catch one up, and would turn to attack the others behind. So in the wide space of the field hungry lions and Spartan ladies were chasing one another, presenting a spectacle so grand that the crowds were shouting wild all the time in amazement. One lion jumped upon one of the ladies who fell to the ground, and the spectators cried in terror. The lady pierced her sword through the lions body from behind while her two friends came to her rescue. The lions angry roar filled all the air. Ever since the beginning of Caesars reign, there never was a day of enjoyment over which the people were so enthusiastic as that terrible holiday. The three Spartan ladies had killed the lion. They too were heavily stained with blood. But in spite of the wounds sustained by them in their fight against the now dead lion, they ran about in the field helping their other friends. One lion carried a lady in its mouth and was running round, and four ladies stabbed the lion with their swords. Even the strong, angry lion could not withstand on its body. At long last all the ten lions were killed by the brave Spartan ladies, while five of them lost their lives in the fray. The shout of the spectators was loud indeed when, after the fight was over, twenty five Spartan ladies who survived stood before Nero and saluted him. Even Nero had never seen such strong and brave ladies in his life, and amidst the din and noise of the cheering crowd he ordered for them to be brought nearer to him, and placed an olive crown on the head of each of them. The next item to be shown was a fight to death between an equal number of Roman soldiers and the captured Jewish Zealots who were in prison. This show had been arranged by Tigellinus with a view to making the Jews as hateful and contemptible as possible in the eyes of the Roman populace. It was to be the last of the shows to honour Nero on his birthday. But the Jewish prisoners were only to happy to hear that such a fight had been arranged by Tigellinus, and they had been eagerly looking forward to the day. Information was brought by the prison officer to the Jewish young men in Mamertine prison that they were intended to be used for a show in Circus Maximus where they were to fight against Roman soldiers. Instead of being disheartened, the Zealots were joyful. Simon-bar-Levi, who was looked upon by his friends as their leader, said, This is good news. We thought we would be rotting to death in prison. But now we are given an opportunity to fight the Romans. While I feared we would waste our lives here without any more chance of striking them. Our lives have been spared and preserved to continue what we have begun. Heretofore we fought secretly. Now an opportunity has presented itself for us to show what Judah really is before the very eyes of the Roman
multitudes. Whether we survive or we die does not really matter. We shall show the justness of our cause to the world by our deeds. We shall be brave, and we shall fight to the end. The fight will show the world what Judah is. So let us fight with all our strength. How fortunate we are that we have the chance of dying in a fight. Even if we dont die in the fight, we are surely going to die in this god-damned prison. And even if we do not rot to death in here, all the same well die by their hands somewhere, somehow. Death in the fight will be an honorable death, a respectable death. It will be our last fight to defend the Jewish nation. Each of us shall try to beat his opponent. Remember that even if we conquer, our lives will not be spared. This is our opportunity to humiliate and disgrace Roman soldiers before the very eyes of Roman crowds. The whole affair is foolishness for them, and a grand opportunity for the elect of God; We had given up all hopes of striking them with our swords. But now, let us know, the opportunity has been given us. Now the last of the shows to honour Nero on his birthday. The multitudes were only too eager to see what was going to be shown. Though the show in the forenoon was extremely entertaining, the people were much more interested in what was going to be demonstrated in the afternoon. Flora Pasiphae was all the more interested in it because it was to fight the Jews that her boy-friend went to war. She took a seat from where she could have a clear view of the fight. From his seat Nero ordered the trumpeter to blow his trumpet. And the man who dressed himself like the god Vulcan hit the door open, and out marched a hundred strong-looking Roman Soldiers in full battle-dress, with shields and swords. The shout of the crowd cheering them was loud indeed. Clapping of hands, whistlings and screaming were to be heard everywhere. Then about one hundred Jewish prisoners, lean, thin, obviously undernourished and weak, followed the Romans into the arena. They had hardly any garment on their bodies, and their eyes were sunken deep. They were allowed the usual battle weapons of the Zealots, even as the Romans were allowed their highly superior weapons of war. Both sides stood in single file on the wide field facing each other with a space of about two hundred steps between them. When both sides were ready the bugler blew his bugle. The Roman soldiers held their shields in their left hands to protect their bodies and faces, and spears in their right hand horizontally, and marched towards the Jews. The Jews, too, marched forward without the least sign of fear or hesitation. While the two sides were marching towards each other, the Roman soldiers were, all of a sudden, gripped by a strange and unbearable fear. In spite of the fact that they were, to all intents and purposes, better equipped and armed, and superior in physical fitness, yet they feared and lost heart, not knowing what made them so afraid. Far from striking the weak wretched Jewish prisoners, they drooped their heads and trembled unashamedly. And the Jews, without the slightest hesitation, hit the Romans down one after another. Tigellinus and Nero himself felt humiliated by this strange sight and rose up from their seats. Tigellinus shouted at the top of his voice and said, Why do you tremble before those desert rats? Kill them, finish them off. Nero spread his arms, opened his mouth wide, and looked on in amazement. The multitudes were furious when they saw the proud Romans being so humiliated by those poor Jews, and rose from their seats. Let out the lions. Where is Caesar? Rome cannot be abased worse than this. Nero, where are your lions? Why dont you go there yourself and
let the Jews break your own neck? Cried some of them. Some others shouted, Nero, dont you know that this is a forerunner of your downfall? You are bound to be disgraced in the same way. Rome will be accursed because of you and your courtier Ophonius Tigellinus. Nero and Tigellinus no longer had the guts to retaliate those abuses and insults, for the crowds were now ferociously angry. Tigellinus, now frustrated and not knowing what else to do, ran into the arena. He encouraged the fear-possessed Roman soldiers to rise up and kill the Jewish dogs, and he himself took to fighting them. The Romans now saw their leader among them and regained their courage and began to fight. So the Romans and the Jews cut and stabbed, pierced their arrows and spears through the bodies of their opponents. After the Roman soldiers rose up and began to fight, the tumultuous noise of the spectators-also subsided. But fear had not left the Romans altogether. They were more defensive than offensive, and the Jews were pressing harder on them. And before the Romans could strike, the Zealots had already killed quite a number of them. However, with better arms and weapons and with better health and physical strength, the Romans began to kill many of those Jewish weaklings. The numberless spectators began to rejoice when they saw that the Roman soldiers ought back. They raised their arms and shouted, Kill them, stab them, spare them not. Fighters of both sides ran round and chased one another. They cut and stabbed as soon as an enemy was within reach. At long last only Junius, the Roman centurion who had killed his opponent, and Simon-bar-Levi the Zealot, were still there unscathed. One of them stood at the far end of the field and the other at the opposite end. They looked at each other and the crowds looked at both of them, all of them speculating who would be the winner. Poppae and the group of ladies who accompanied her stood up to get a clear view of the fight. Nero put away his diamond binocular and stood up, raised his right arm forward and pointed to the Jew with a trembling hand. While the spectators held their breath in their eagerness to see the last and decisive fight, the two fighters marched out towards each other. They walked along proudly, as if they didnt see the corpses lying here and there on the ground. Now they were only about six feet away from each other, and there was a buzzing sound of fencing which was followed by a cracking sound of the swords being crossed. Simon-bar-Levi hopped aside. Junius chased him on with his sword which the Jew diverted with his own. The Jew looked squarely at the eyes of his opponent and suddenly struck just above his leg shield at the knee joint. The Roman bled profusely. Without losing any time he struck the shield of Junius just between the handle of the shield and his own. Junius lost hold of his shield which fell to the ground. Junius jumped upon the Jew and they fell. But before Junius could do anything Simon kicked him with his two legs, and he fell flat some distance away. The Jew sprang up immediately and tried to take advantage of the Romans fall, but Junius could manage to defend himself. Junius fenced his sword so strong that Simon-bar-Levi stumbled for a moment. To the spectators the scene was so entertaining that so long as the fight lasted, they seemed to forget all things else - worries, glories, friends, and even the rebellion in Judea. . The fighters tried harder and harder to decide their fate in the quickest possible way. Junius again tried to jump upon the Jew and bring him down to the ground, but Simon skipped off his way in time, and Junius himself fell heavily upon a corpse, face downwards. The Jew was quick and pierced his sword through the body of Junius before he could rise.
Not satisfied with one thrust, he pulled his sword out and pierced it in again. The sword were taken aback. They stood up and looked on, without anyone of them saying anything. Simon-bar-Levi knew only too well that the Romans would in no wise spare his life. So he took advantage of the momentary silence of the crowd, faced Nero, and shouted at the top his voice and said. You Caesar, you Nero, you are the man who killed his own mother. I stand here before you not to beg your mercy, and mercy you have none. I do not speak out to praise you or to honour you. Your soldiers, the pride of your Empire, have now fallen by the hands of the Jews. This is a precursor of things to come, one of which is your own doom. Rome has fallen. But Judah will stand upright even after two millenniums pass. Rome with all its glories will pass away. This empire of cruelty is bound to crumble down, and generations yet unborn will curse it. The Roman empire, its throne and its riches, will vanish away without being inherited by anyone. But Judah will offer again its annual sacrifices in the sacred city of Jerusalem. A time will come when nobody will even pretend to speak well of Rome. Nero, you are the killer of love and compassion. I want you to know this - that I cannot give my life to serve the Roman dogs in any manner whatsoever. Rome is accursed! There stood in the arena a man so brave and so bold that he spoke to Nero those words of abuse and insult without the least fear. What else could the crowd do except listen to him attentively? Caesar himself listened to all that he said. After he had said all he wanted to say. Simon-bar-Levi wiped the blood away from his sword. Then he planted his sword in the earth with its sharp end point to his stomach. The crowds looked at the dying Zealot, the last of the fighters, in wonderment and with mixed feelings of hate and admiration.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Julius Vindex was the Governor of the western province of Gaul. He was appointed by Nero himself. But Vindex had rebelled against the Emperor. However, his rebellion was repressed before it could do much harm to Neros reign. Nero celebrated his victory over Vindex one night in a ship in the river of Tiber. When the feast was being served Nero felt very tired. Only some of his courtiers and a few special invitees came to the dinner. Even his wife Poppae didnt come to the feast because Nero wanted to enjoy the pleasures without anyone to disturb him. Some attractive Roman ladies and Flora Pasiphae, girl-friend of Titus, made the most of the enjoyment. Nero was tired because he had indulged too much in pleasures during the day. So he was lying on a bed in his massage room where two Egyptian slave girls vigorously massaged him with Egyptian perfume. He enjoyed the touch of the ladies soft hands that he half-closed his eyes, and he almost fell asleep when the sound of steps of a man in a hurry was heard. Nero listened. A moment later a knock at the door in quick succession was heard. Nero ordered one of the girls to open the door. And Phaon, a slave who had been granted liberty by Nero himself appeared. Phaon said, A messenger has come from Praetorian military headquarters, and he wants to see you. Nero made a sign with his hands for the slave girls to go out. He told Phaon to bring the
messenger into the room. The messenger said, Here is a letter for you. It contains the decision of the Praetorian headquarters, and departed again without even saluting him. Nero was pale after reading the letter and shook his head slowly in dismay. He muttered to himself, While I am celebrating my victory over Julius Vindex by making a grand feast, and after I have ordered the release of those who were condemned to die, why should a greater trouble like this befall me? In response to his prayer I made Sevius Sulpicius Galba Governor of Spain. Now he has conspired against me and, by dethroning me has taken my place. No, it cannot be. And Nymphidius Sabinus, too, has gone over to my enemy. He heavily sighed, and moaned, and groaned. His eyes grew dim. He tried to go outside but he couldnt walk steadily. He stumbled about. In the busy street outside an announcement was being made that Servius Sulpicius Galba had been declared the new Emperor by the Senate and the Praetorian soldiers. The declaration hit Nero hard in his nerves. His household servants learnt the news and immediately deserted him an ran away to the place where Galbas ascension to the throne was being celebrated. Nero knew that he, too, must run away, for Galbas Government would not spare his life. So he took a horse and ran away to the house of Phaon, the man he had released form- slavery an9 who was his most trustworthy friend. But even then he could not be peaceful. He knew they would find him out and kill him. So in the house of Phaon by the Tiber, he had himself stabbed through his neck and killed. Servius Sulpicius Galba was not long on the throne. After a reign of only seven months, his advisers deserted him for the reason that he was indiscreet in selecting his courtiers. And the soldiers and the public at large were not at all pleased with him. He was of a narrow outlook and he was not generous to the public. So Marcus Salvius led a rebellion against him when it was least expected. The noise of the rebellion filled all the air of the city. Not knowing what it was all about Galba went out of his palace to see what was happening. Just as he was outside the rebels led by Otho arrested him, and he was killed in the court of Rome called Forum, and they declared Marcus Salvius Otho Emperor in his place. Otho had occupied the throne barely for three months when the soldiers stationed in upper Germany declared Aulus Vitellius as the new Emperor. Vitellius led his force from Germany and invaded Rome. There ensued a big civil war. The soldiers under Othos command were defeated by Vitellius in Badriacum, and Otho committed suicide in Brixellum. Vitellius marched with great pomp into Rome and ascended the throne of Caesar. With a turmoil of such magnitude in Rome, the government found it hardly possible to direct its attention to the trouble in Judea. There was a succession of three emperors within a span of one year. Meanwhile the Judean trouble went on and General Titus Flavius Vespasianus, who was sent to Judea by Nero to deal with the uprising there, carried on his work of suppressing the Jews as if he didnt know what was happening back there in Rome. Since however, there was such a quick succession of emperors, he had to hearken and keep himself ready for any news or eventuality in Rome: Those who replaced Nero one after another were men well-known to him and, in no way, superior to him. But once anyone occupied throne Vespasianus could offer his loyalty to him.
At the time Vespasianus and his troops invaded Syria and Galilee, the great, famous Jewish leader Joseph, son of Mathia was in Fort Jotapat, which was the strongest fort in Galilee. It was built on top of a hill surrounded by precipices. As the Galilean supreme was in that fort Vespasianus made the hardest of efforts to capture it. It was so difficult that at times he gave up hope ever taking it, but tried again and again, and at long last succeeded in breaking it through. Joseph was captured alive, and Vespasianus was thinking of sending him to Rome. But Rome was then passing through a very difficult time. The ablest of the generals were all out to seize the chance of becoming Emperor one day. Joseph knew about the state of affairs in Rome, and thought that even Vespasianus could well become Emperor one day. So when he was brought before Vespasianus he said, Why send me to Rome to stand before Caesar? Am I not standing today before Caesar? Vespasianus decided not to send Joseph to Rome. Keeping this prediction of Joseph in mind, Vespasianus was more interested than even in the changing affairs of Rome. The people in general and the soldiers in particular were discontented with the reign of Aulus Vitellius as their Emperor. He was as inexperienced in the conduct of the states affairs as he was obsessed with making merriments. Within a few months of his reign he wasted seven million Roman currency called sesterse, and he had no means of recovering the loss. He was preoccupied with shows in Circus Maximus. The soldiers were occupied with these shows and they became more and more negligent of their military duties. Because of his conduct and for other reasons, those soldiers in the Roman colonies of the east could no longer accept Vetellius as their Emperor. They declared General Titus Flavius Vespasianus, who was sent by Nero to deal with Judean troubles, as Emperor to replace Vitellius. But Vitellius was still on the throne in Rome, and so there were two Emperors at the same time. Vespasianus selected two able generals named Antonius Primus and Mucianus to march to Rome and dethrone Vitellius. General Antonius Primus was to take with him two brigades, and Gen. Mucianus was to lead the 7th. Brigade. Altogether there were 13,000 topmost soldiers under the two generals. There was a fierce though short battle. But the forces of Vitellius soon surrendered to the troops of Vespasianus because they also preferred Vespasianus to be their Emperor. The people of Rome heartily welcomed Vespasianus, and they had high hopes that he would rebuild the stability and honour of Rome which had been shamefully shattered by the successive Emperors. Having been established as the Emperor, it was no longer possible for Vespasianus to stay away from the capital city, and so he decided to march to Rome. At this time the Judean was also a strife among the Jewish leaders themselves, it didnt appear to be a very hard task for Rome to quell the uprising. On the eve of his departure for Rome he handed charge of Judea over to his son Titus, and made him responsible to restore order there. At that time three of the most prominent Jewish leaders namely Eleazer, son of Simon, and Simon son of Goras, and John of Gischal quarreled among themselves, each one of them laying claim to leadership, and each one of them set up his own camp in Jerusalem. Their enmity, instead of subsiding, gradually increased and ultimately resulted in a fight against one another. At the same time General Titus began to besiege the city with a great force. The Jews were in a shaky position because of their internal strife. All the war weapons they had amassed for fighting the Romans were now being used to destroy themselves, and
almost all the foodstuff they had collected had been burnt with their own hands. They were far from being a match for Rome even if they stood solidly in closed ranks. Now they were not only divided, they fought one another while they were being struck by an external enemy. Surrounded by the enemy, Jewish leaders gradually realized that the need of the hour was for them to be of one accord, but a real unity under one leadership was hardly possible. The Romans now came very close to them. From the Scopus mountain in the north the 12th. and 15th. Brigades were moving towards them. From Jericho in the east General Titus was coming with the 13th brigade, and from the west, by the Emmaus road, the 5th Brigade was advancing. Jonathan was then in the company of Eleazer. The people of Jerusalem were worried beyond words by the coming war. They had little to eat owing to the selfishness and greediness of their leaders which resulted in an internal war. Jonathan was anxious about his sister Joan and visited her three days before Jerusalem fort was attacked. Joan was delightfully surprised to see her brother. She did not know what to say, and she simply wept, Jonathan fondly embraced his weeping sister and tried to comfort her, Joan, my fathers predictions are now coming true. But do not worry too much. Remember that my father just before his death blessed you and said, You offspring will turn the Roman Empire into the kingdom of Jesus of Nazareth. The glory of the nations is in your hands. Is there any of my fathers predictions which hasnt come true? You can rest assured that your life is going to be protected. And do not worry about me. As I have told you, I am going to work and fight for our nation as long and hard as I can. I may be slain or I may be captured alive by the Romans. I have stepped out for our nation. I will not turn back. I am ready and willing to suffer anything, even death. That is the purpose for which I was created. Who will carry the burden and responsibility of our nation, if not we, the Jews? And I am a Jew. He who led and still leads the house of Jacob, has created us to be one of the nations of the world, I owe to him who created our nation to live, to serve, and to die for this race. Joan said, My brother, now that you have come home, how long will you be able to stay? I am too miserable without you, for you are my only comfort. Would you stay a little longer this time? Jonathan replied, If my stay would in any wise benefit my country, I would like to be with you forever. But Joan, I have come even this time just because I am so anxious about you. Food scarify is very acute even in the city of Jerusalem. I had apprehensions that you also might suffer. Besides, the Romans have already surrounded the city. How long the battle will last and when the Romans would take the city I do not know. Or else we may conquer the enemy and celebrate our victory in Jerusalem. These are more surmises about the future. Nothing is certain. But my father said that the day was not very far when Jerusalem would be made desolate. If this prediction of my father should come true, no place is safe for you and for me. Just stay put in here. I am glad to see that you will not be short of food. Be not anxious or worried about me.- What does*it matter if I fall by the hands of the Romans? Quite a number of our worthy leaders and my friends have sacrificed their lives for our nation. Why should I
also not sacrifice my life? It is more precious than theirs that it should be preserved? Well, so much about me. As for you, I have no worry about your life. You may pass through hard times and be miserable for a while. But as my father had foretold, your life is destined for greatness. So there is no reason for us to be too anxious about tomorrow. Jonathan stayed in the house all day. They were all alone, sister and brother, talking and thinking together about many things. Joan carefully prepared supper. Deep in the heart of Jonathan there was something of a premonition that this was to be their last time together. So he went round the house and its enclosure, and had what he thought might be his last look at every nook and corner. The sight of it all put him in a somewhat nostalgic mood as it was there where, in his fathers lifetime, the family lived in perfect harmony. He looked at Joan, and at everything else, as if he would never see them again. Time passed away fast and after supper Jonathan had to leave again. His departure would appear to have been the most difficult time in Joans life. She accompanied her brother up to the gate of their enclosure, and tightly held his hands and wept. My brother, how much I need you here. How much I will be longing for you I cannot tell. Lonely, fearful, nervous and anxious all the time, how can I live long? My brother, oh, My brother! she cried. Jonathan tried to be brave and manly, but when he looked at his sister he could hardly contain himself, and tears flowed copiously down his cheeks. With great difficulty Joan released her brothers hands from her clutch. Jonathan said, Joan, my beloved sister, I love you. But my love for the nation constrains me to go. I cant help going. Good bye, be brave and take care of yourself. With tears profusely flowing down her cheeks Joan looked on as long as she could see him, Look back at me, just once, she cried. Jonathan, thinking it might be the last time he saw his sister, looked back every now and then. The dark war clouds were gathering fast, and the storm would blow them apart, north and south, never to meet again. From the farthest point he could get a glimpse of her, Jonathan saw his sister leaning against the fence of their enclosure, hanging her head down. A moment later Joan raised her head, and they waved the last farewell. Now they were out of sight of each other.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jerusalem was strongly built upon a firm foundation. Besides its three-layer fort walls, the Temple was encircled by a specially built wall fence. Mount Zion was enclosed in yet another strong fort wall. It was in that Zion stockade that the troops of Eleazer and Simon prepared to make a determined resistance. And the appointed day came when Titus and his troops tried to enter Jerusalem. As all the doors were strongly locked inside, it was not possible to enter by them. So they used their machines to break the fort wall open. They used another type of machine also to throw small and large stone blocks over the fort wall and let them rain on those who were inside the fort, incessantly.
Although the three Jewish leaders were not at all of one accord, they had a common enemy, and this fact served as a cementing factor which bound them together, however loosely. At least each in his front was determined to face the Romans bravely. The Romans could not shoot as many arrows as they liked into the fort, nor could they throw into it as many stone blocks as they wished. So they started to build temporary towers all round the fort, and piled up earth in many places, in order that they would climb up the wall. With the breaking machine they continued to hit the fort wall hard at one point. At long last they broke through. The Jews in the fort put up a fierce resistance. So ferocious they were that even the strong Romans at times gave up hopes of ever defeating them. But their commander would not abandon hope. He knew that his father, now the Emperor, would be in a shaky position unless Jerusalem was taken. He must conquer at any cost in order to stabilize his fathers reign. After they broke through the outer fort wall, they immediately began trying to break the inner wall also. At the same time the Jewish fighters took up their position in Fort Antonio. One night two sentinels in the fort, named Othniel and Eliath, heard a strange noise at a little past midnight. They listened, and heard it again. It was difficult to know just where the sound came from and so they listened more attentively. One more sound, and now they knew where it was from. It came from the porch of Fort Antonio. The wide porch was built against Fort Antonio and was called Lithostroton. The sound they heard was a strange and terrifying one. As soon as it came there was a slight tremor as of an earthquake, and it gradually increased in its intensity. Then another sound resembling that of a woman in despite in the midst of a great crowd, and the sound of angry waves in a stormy sea, followed. The two midnight sentinels were possessed with fear and trembled. Othniel said to his friend, There must have been a strange occurrence in this place before, and this may be the act of an avenger. Eliath replied, I do think so. This fort was built by a great Roman named Antonio. I think that his spirit does not allow us to occupy it. While they were still talking they heard a more stranger and more horrifying sound. It was like the sound of a huge landslide, or of a multi-storied house collapsing. The wide porch was now shaking sideways. The two sentinels then screamed in fear. They screamed so loud that the sleeping young men inside the fort woke up. When they heard what the sentinels told them. They too listened, and before long the sound was heard again. Jewish young men who were standing on the porch fell down when it shook. This was followed by a horrifying sound, and all those who heard it began running for their lives, and whoever saw them run also began running without even knowing the reason. At daybreak all Jewish young men who occupied the fort deserted it. All who knew were wonder-struck by this strange thing which happened to the Jewish young men. Some people thought that this was a foreboding of the desolation of Jerusalem. Some others said that the fort bore the name of Antonio, a Roman aristocrat, and it used to be the residence of Roman governors. So the spirit of those big Roman personalities resented against its occupancy by the Jews, who worshipped Jehovah.
The Jews put up a fierce resistance to the Romans who were trying to break through the second fort wall. Titus was firmly intent upon having all routes to Jerusalem closed so as to starve those who were in it, even if he could not enter the city as soon as he wanted. And inside the fort all food reserve had been destroyed by the Jews themselves because of their internal strife. Supply routes from outside had now been blocked by the Romans. While the Jewish people at large were in such a distressed condition, Joan had her needs of food in abundance. She was just waiting in a bewildered state of mind for the Roman invaders to enter the city. Although no particular hardship had yet been brought to her by the war, her intense longing for her brother was very hard to bear, for she was in a state of perpetual fear. Titus and his men had succeeded in breaking through even the inner fort wall, and now the troops in great strength were entering the city. John and his men put up a stiff resistance from the Temple fortress but the enemy overpowered them, and entered there also. They captured John alive, but as he begged mercy they did not kill him. Now they turned to Fort Zion in which Eleazer and Simon consolidated their positions. In the city proper the invaders arrested anyone they found, man, woman and child. Just in the night that Fort Zion was to be attacked, a number of Jewish young men including Eleazer and Jonathan had disappeared, and this greatly demoralized those still in the fort. So they had no alternative to surrendering themselves to the enemy. Simon was taken apart to be sent to Rome for trial. When Vespasianus was about to leave for Rome to ascend the throne, he left a word that Jerusalem should be taken at any cost, but no woman or child should be harmed, and that the Temple should be spared. But when they entered Jerusalem those desperate Roman soldiers stabbed and cut asunder even innocent women and children. They raped women and after satisfying their lusts killed them. They went to every nook and corner of the city and brutally tortured any mortal being they could find. While this reign of terror was going on in full swing, Joan was still there in her house safely. Even when the soldiers went to each and every house, she was miraculously by-passed. In the night when the Romans broke through the inner fort wall and then destroyed the Temple fort, Titus ordered a rest for those on the wide porch of Fort Antonio called Lithostroton, Gabbatha in Hebrew, without even pitching up their tents. Among the brave soldiers who fought in the frontline was an able centurion called Horatius Cornelius. He had a feeling of remorse and suffered a sense of vexation when he saw the most deplorable plight of the Jews in Jerusalem. His fellow soldiers tortured anyone they could lay their hands on without the least of compassion. When he saw helpless women being cruelly stabbed and blood spurting out of their wounds, his heart ached and his conscience was pricked. In that night also he could not fall asleep because of what he saw. He lay awake there upon the wide verandah. The noise of soldiers passing through the streets and highways, and of those who were to be heard all the time. He was thinking of his elder brother Julius Cornelius who was in Judea and about whom no news had been heard for a fairly long time. Most probably he was lacking to the effect that he died by the hands of the Jewish Zealots. There were some among his men who survived the surprise raid of their wayside camp by the Zealots, and judging by what those men said it could be plainly assumed that he was no longer alive. But, he thought, they were soldiers and even if he himself met the same fate as his brother, it would not be unbecoming.
In that night an extraordinarily strange thing happened. As he was sleepless he got up and went a little distance away to ease himself. When he returned to his bed he saw a strange light in the shape of two footprints of a grown-up man, with the right and left prints a little slipping out of each other. He was so surprised by what he saw on the bed cloth that he lifted it, and looked at the stone floor beneath the cloth, and the light was there, too. He feared, but as he was a soldier and since he saw nothing else but footprints, he thought it unbecoming of him to exhibit his fear, and simply shifted his bed to another spot. After seeing that most unusual sight Horatius Cornelius felt that something strange was going to happen to him The vision had a very heavy impact upon his whole being and the pressure, he thought, was capable, of causing even mental derangement. But he was only saved from such a situation by the fact that from his parents down they had been devoted Christians. He prayed a silent prayer. In battles he had been many times in the front, he had suffered many afflictions, and in times of suffering he drew his comfort from the presence of God. Had he been a superstitious believer in the Roman gods he would have to offer a calf as a sacrifice to save him from his uneasiness caused by the vision. Just before dawn he fell asleep, and slept soundly. He had a dream, and in his dream there was a fierce fighting between the Romans and the Jews. In that battle he caught a Jewish Zealot who was a tall, handsome young man. The young man said, Release me, for it is not meet and proper for you to arrest me. But go and find out a house in Lower Jerusalem near the borderline which separates it from .Upper Jerusalem, Here you will be told what you are to do. Cornelius woke up from his sleep. He sat up and contemplated deeply upon the vision. He could not make out how the vision of the footprints and his dream might relate to each other. He was uneasy of mind and very lonely. He utterly failed to comprehend the meaning of it all. And he remembered that he was in the midst of battle. He knelt and prayed. The next morning, accompanied by one soldier, he went to Lower Jerusalem as he was told by a Jewish young man in his dream. At that time Jerusalem Temple was being ransacked by Roman soldiers who took golden vessels and any other thing which attracted their eyes. They demolished stone masonry works until no stone was left upon another, expecting to find some valuable things hidden beneath the stone blocks. Cornelius and his friend looked about as they walked along, and when they were very close to Lower Jerusalem, an old house close to the highway some-how attracted their eyes, and went right towards it. As soon as he set foot on the ground of that houses enclosure he was seized by nervousness, shyness and bashfulness. Cornelius and his friend stood outside the house for sometime. They wondered why the soldiers had all along by-passed this particular house after all the other houses were visited, searched and ransacked, and left empty by taking the owners away. They were almost frightened by the thought. Then they softly knocked at the door. There was no response. Other soldiers would have forced the door open and entered. But Cornelius dared not and would not do so. A few more gentle knocks, and a beautiful Jewish girl narrowly opened it. She was trembling in fear. She prostrated before the Roman officer and begged him to spare her life. Cornelius tenderly raised the girl and looked at her face steadily. The girl was still shivering in fear. After seeing that beautiful girl Horatius felt as if he was no longer the proud
Roman officer that he was, and he felt also as if that respectable girl had covered him with a soft cloth of mercy and compassion. He spoke to her, but she was unable to open her mouth to speak. He slowly led the girl and made her sit on the sofa. They were quiet for some moments and all the while Horatius Cornelius fixed his eyes on the girls face. While he was looking at Joans face her appearance steadily changed. In an instance he saw a beam of light, a light of love, shining in Joans face. The light became gradually brighter and her facial features became more prominent, more beautiful and more respectable. The light of love from the girls face shone right into his heart. Cornelius felt as if he was fleeced of his military uniform and he was melting away. He said to Joan, Will you very kindly tell me what your name is? Joan replied, I am Joan, daughter of Joseph of Arimathea. Your fathers name is quite familiar to me, said Horatius Cornelius. Joan seemed to be desirous of asking for further elaboration but didnt dare to ask any question. She just looked at Cornelius steadily without saying anything. Cornelius continued, My father was a Roman centurion. When Tiberius Julius Caesar Germanicus was Emperor, he was in Judea. At that time there was a great man among the Jews who was called Jesus of Nazareth. But the elders of your nation could not tolerate him and so they crucified him on the cross. And the man who took down the body of Christ from the cross for burial had the same name as your fathers, Joseph of Arimathea. Joans eyes opened wide when she heard Comelus story and she asked, Do you know more? Cornelius answered, I was not yet born then. But my father was a god-fearing man. While he was still in Judea after the death of Jesus, he sent for Simon Peter who was one of his disciples. Peter stayed in my fathers house for a while. And my father, too, was a follower of Jesus. After he spoke Cornelius was astonished by his own confession of a secret to a stranger girl, a secret which he had never disclosed to anyone. On hearing Cornelius story Joan couldnt restrain herself anymore and wept bitterly. After sometime she raised her head, wiped her tears and said, Yes, the man who took down the body of Jesus from the cross was Joseph of Arimathea, my father. Like your father, he was a follower of Jesus. I have heard your fathers name from my father. Oh, how curious and how miraculous things have come to pass. Cornelius continued his story and said, My brother and I, following in the footsteps of our father, enlisted in the Roman army. My elder brother Julius Cornelius was in Judea for a long time, and we have not heard of him ever-since the Judean uprising. He is believed to have died in a fight against the Zealots, otherwise we must have met. When she heard this Joan bowed down and held her head with her two hands, apparently in dismay. Cornelius tried to comfort Joan and said, Do not fear, Joan, I shall do no harm whatever to you, for you are the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea. Instead of offending you or harming you, I am here to protect you. Say anything you wish to say without fear or reservation. That will be better for both of us. Now let me relate to you what I saw in my dream last night. I found myself in the midst of a battle against the Zealots, and I caught a young, tall and handsome Zealot. The young man told me that it was not my duty to arrest him. He told me to
go to a house near the borderline separating Upper and Lower Jerusalem. He said that I would be told what to do. That is why I have come into this house. Joan was utterly surprised to hear what he said, and looked askance at him for a fairly long time without taking her eyes off. Horatius Cornelius asked, Why are you looking at me as if you were too surprised? Just tell me whatever is in your mind, and that may well be what I am to do, as I was told in a dream. Appearing bewildered, Joan asked him, If your father was a believer in Jesus of Nazareth, what about you? Are you a believer also? Cornelius replied without the slightest hesitation and said, Yes, indeed, I believed in Him. He surely is the Messiah. I have not worshipped the Roman gods since my early childhood days. Though my father was a Roman soldier, he had been a Christian. But my elder brother was not quite one with me in the faith, and that has always been a constant source of worry for me. In my letter to him just before the Jewish rebellion, I fervently appealed to him to become a Christian. How I wish his heart had been won for Jesus before he died! The noise made by Roman soldiers making round of the streets and lanes and by-lanes was heard outside, and immediately Cornelius went out to see them. The soldiers on the highway saw and saluted him. In the meantime Joan recollected in her mind the letter which his brother Jonathan brought home with him. It was a letter written by Cornelius to his elder brother. Joan immediately hid it away. Cornelius spoke to the commander of the soldiers on round and said, There is nobody in this house now. But my friend and I will search it out and see if there is any more thing interesting to take, and he let them go on. Then he returned to the house and said to Joan, Joan, there is an order for all the Jews to be arrested. But we are not yet going to arrest you. We shall lock your house outside so that nobody will come and touch you. We shall have the lock properly sealed with the Roman insignia. Do not go anywhere before I return, and do not make any noise which can be heard from outside. Then they left her, telling her to take care of herself. On their way back Cornelius spoke to the soldier who accompanied him and said, You must not divulge to anyone all that the girl and I said in your presence. You know how I confessed that I am secretly a Christian, and you know what I did to hide her in a way that no other soldier would arrest her. Keep these two things to yourself- that I am a Christian, and the fact that I hid the girl away. Say that you will be honest to me. Will you? His friend Sulla replied, Sir, I am a Christian. Cornelius was taken completely by surprise by that confession of his friend. He stood and looked at him thoroughly and steadily. While they stood face to face Cornelius asked him, How long have you been a Christian, and why did you become one? Sulla answered and said, Sir, I was not born a Christian like you, nor was I persuaded by anyone to become a Christian. When Nero persecuted and had many Christians crucified Maximus, I was one of those who crucified them. After they were crucified a great fire was lit below to burn them. It was at that time that I saw a beautiful crown slowly descending from the air just opposite a crucified woman. The fire was raging and burning and the crown was descending lower and lower. I saw that just at the moment the woman died the crown rested
upon her head. From that moment I saw Christians in a different light and perspective. I have not been the same man since, I have been secretly a Christian. Have you ever gone to the meeting of Christians, secretly of course? asked Cornelius. . Sulla replied, Every now and then. And a Greek young man called Timothy .even baptized me. But I have kept this affair a closed secret from my friends. Even my parents do not know it. You are the only one who knows that I am a Christian. Cornelius said, I see. From now on you shall ever be with me and work for me. You and that Jewish girl are the only ones who know what I am. So I will need you. And they moved on again, passing the many soldiers in the street as if they knew none of them.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The night Cornelius had a perfect peace of mind without knowing the reason behind it. He could only reason that Joans beautiful face was communicating some thing deep down into the innermost chamber of his heart. Her fairness and winsomeness he could not describe in words; he could only love her with his whole being. He sensed as if Joan had set a throne in his heart and he could not resent it. A woman of the nation which was at war with his, and they met in the midst of battle. Now she had poured a new wine of love down his throat and he was drunk mad. All his previous thoughts had been supplanted by a new thought, a constant and ceaseless thought about that Jew. He mused on this change taking place in his life all through the night. That girl did not speak in her face had defeated a proud Roman soldier without sword. Cornelius was filled with surprise and amazement by the thought. In the duty roster for that night Cornelius was assigned the task of commanding the last batch. They were to go round the city and seek out any Jew left, and capture all that they could find. As soon as he finished supper he went straight to bed, expecting to have a restful sleep so that he might get up fresh and alert for duty. But he couldnt fall asleep at all, because the thought of what had happened during the day made him wide awake. Before he had a wink of sleep the midnight hour struck, which told him that he was to go on duty. Dressed in his full battle-dress he went out to make a round of the city. He divided his men into several groups and assigned to them areas to cover. After sending his men off he went straight to Joans house. Like Cornelius Joan also had been awake, unable to get any sleep owing to what had happened to her. At a little past midnight she heard a knock at her door. She was naturally terrified by the knock, but Cornelius announced himself by making a vocal sound. Joan sprang up from her bed, lit a candle and went to the door and opened it. Cornelius came in, and no longer able to restrain himself said, Joan, Oh! Why should I call you by your name again? Baby, Sweetheart mine. Joan was trembling a little, but not our of fear this time. Having been awake for such a long time Joan was tired and didnt look very fresh. She steadily looked at the face of
Cornelius, and Cornelius saw in her listless face a beam of light. He held Joans arm and made her sit down and said, Please understand me and forgive me. The moment I first saw you I fell in love with you. Now you have filled my life. That is why I have come here again. I couldnt help coming. I couldnt restrain myself. What more can one desire than the love of ones foe? If you really mean it when you say that you love me, you are the one visible lover for me, whispered Joan. Cornelius said, I do not pretend, Joan. No, I dont. If I needed a woman to satisfy my lust, I wouldnt need say I loved you. You are a frail little girl, living alone, and my enemy, I could have forcibly possessed you. What could prevent me from forcing you into submitting to me? But any thought of that kind is too far from my mind. The truth is that God has in His mercy appointed me to love you. And you need a lover at this time of your adversity. Without any shadow of doubt I believe that God was at work in the circumstances that led us to meet. Joan said, That may be true. But it has been a very short time since we met, and sometimes I doubt myself. And the way we met has been a very strange way, quite beyond my comprehension. And when I consider how the soldiers go to every house and arrest whosoever they find there - old and young, men and women, and even children, and how in the midst of it all my house had not been visited even once, it surpasses my understanding. What would I call this but providence and the love of Christ? And now to what is happening between us; you are a man and I a woman. A promise or call it even a covenant, is usually made between man and woman through a mediator, I think that an agreement between you and me can be reached only through God as our mediator. Agreements and promises made by human beings without the sanction of God do not last. You may be absolutely honest in your love for me, and I may be equally honest to you. But only if the bond is sealed with the love of God will it be pure, holy, reliable and comfortable. Cornelius said, I am fully in agreement with you. But what I mean to say is that this thing has happened between enemies who are at war with each other, so it must be Gods will. He who spoke to me in my dream sent me to you, not to capture you, nor to spoil your innocency in any manner whatever, but to hear from you what I was to do. And a Jew he was, and a Zealot for that matter, the bitterest enemy of the Romans, who sent me here from a dreamland. Naturally, it is not becoming of me as an officer to go where an enemy orders me to go. But I have obeyed what I was told, I have come and sought and found you. What I never expected has happened to find a lover within the confines of the city of Jerusalem which has become desolate, and I didnt search for one. But now we have found each other, enemies and lovers. Has I been a worshipper of the god Jupiter, or one who goes to war calling on the name of the god Mars, I would get many women in the streets of Jerusalem. But I am a follower of Jesus who died and rose again for us. You are one, too. He whom I trust wants to save you from the Romans and therefore has sent me to you. The man who in my dream told me to come here bore no scars on his hands and in his side, but I couldnt do otherwise than coming here as he told me. Said Cornelius, choked with emotion. Joan could read in his face that he was not pretending, but serious and honest. Joan was fully conscious of her dignity and honour, and of the need to preserve her innocency and
modesty. She carefully guarded her tongue and her mannerisms. She believed also that Cornelius was God-sent, to save her from her predicament as well as for her future safety and well-being. She recalled in mind her fathers benediction upon her a few days before his death. He blessed her thus: Joan, I am going before you to Chittim. No sorrow or anguish will overtake you then. The river Tiber will wash you out on the shore of salvation, and. you shall sing in the island of peace. She felt she could almost hear her fathers voice. As soon as Cornelius finished, Joan suddenly raised her head and looked delighted. She said, Now I understand it all. The young man you saw in your dream was my brother. Oh, my beloved brother Jonathan, how longing I am for you. You fought Rome. But I your sister am befriending your very foe and sharing with him the love of Jesus of Nazareth, said Joan as she was weeping bitterly. Cornelius gently raised her head and looked at her lovely face, and saw that her eyes were shining lovely through her tears. He said, I have also come to understand the meaning of my dream. It was your brother who sent me here. Had he been here with us, we should have shaken our bloodstained hands in love, and bury all enmity and hatred. You ought to know this, Joan, that your brother sent me here because he wanted to save you. Joan, I prayed that you would be saved through me. Whether you love me or you dont, I was sent here not to add anything to your misery, but to save you from your difficult situation. I am now very sure that this is the purpose that my mission is to serve. God made me love you in order that I might be His instrument of saving you. I do not know if He will reward me by making you love me in return, so that you may like me to save you. Joan also could not think otherwise and looked out a letter and gave it to Cornelius. He read it in the candle light. Tears freely flowed from his eyes and he said, Joan, this letter was written by me. My brother faithfully performed his duty and is no more. And I am here, not doing what I ought to do according to the Roman laws. But I am fully convinced that I am doing my duty as a soldier of Christ. Blood decided the fates of your elder brother and my elder brother. And we two, their younger ones, are here and our fates have been decided by the blood of Jesus Christ. My elder brother fell by your brothers hands. I, his young brother, have fallen in love with you. My father, a proud and brave Roman soldier, fell at the feet of Jesus Christ the Jew. My brother fell before another Jewish young man, and I have fallen at the feet of this lovely Jewish girl, he said, and tenderly and fondly embraced Joan. He continued, What I was told in my dream has come true. Now I have been told what to do, and love has dispossessed me of my hatred for the Jews, and I have been clothed with the desire to let you sit on the throne which you have set in my heart. I have accepted you as my queen to reign over my life. I did not seek you out with the intention of loving you, and it is not for your beauty that I like you. But I am only too willing, in the name of Jesus, to stand in your defence even before Caesar. Even if they should let a hungry lion pounce upon you in Circus Maximus, I will be with you and never desert you, Joan, I love you. Joan was filled with emotion and wept, and tears flowed down her rosy cheeks. She said, Loves redemption was born of blood which was shed on the cross, and the love of Christ has again bloomed forth out of the blood of war which flowed on earth. Instead of crossing swords
and shooting arrows, we have joined hands in peace, and instead of shedding blood our lips have touched in a holy kiss. At that time sounds were heard outside, sounds of Roman soldiers making rounds of the city. Contrasted with that deserted city the glory of which had vanished away into nothingness, the two of them had begun a new life of love. The new spring of their love met and blended at the confluence of hope with the spring of redemptive love which flowed out of Christs wounded side. They were made one by the blood! While cruelty expressed itself in fighting, torture and shedding of blood all around, Joan and Cornelius passed the time at their disposal in peace and in tender embrace. For Joan this was to be her last night in the house which had been her heaven since the days of her father, the home in which her father Joseph, her brother Jonathan and she shared their joys and sorrows together. And Cornelius could no more leave her alone as he did before. He was intending to take her out of the house as a captured Jew, but he delayed telling her his intention lest it should be too hard for Joan to bear, and this would deprive them of many hours of happiness. Daybreak was still some hours away when they would leave the house, and Cornelius wanted to relate to Joan what he saw the previous night. He said, It was only last night. Those of us who fought in the frontline of the battle were given a rest because we were too tired, and made our beds on the verandah of Fort Antonio. It was just about midnight when I got up and went some distance away to release myself. And when I returned to my bed I saw a faint light in the middle of it in the shape of two grown-up footprints, a little slipping out of each other. I lifted the bedsheet and there on the stone floor the footprints were brighter. I tried to rub the prints away with my hand, but with no success. I felt somewhat ill at ease and shifted my bed, but I could see the light still there where it was. After sometime I fell asleep and dreamed a dream which I have related to you. The vision has continued to persist in my imagination up till now. When I left the place tonight it was no longer there. When he finished his story Joan screamed out in delight, I know now, I understand it all. How glorious it is! Gods power is surely infinite. We do not worship Jupiter like the Romans. We do not glorify Isis and Osiris like the Egyptians. Like the Greeks who are known to be the source of wisdom, we do not exalt Apollo. The sacrifices of the great Jewish Passover feast have resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Messiah, the Christ. That vision of light which showed his footprints has revealed to us a secret. We are to follow him in his footsteps. This is the meaning of what you saw. According to my father who witnessed the crucifixion Pontius Pilate held his court on the porch of Fort Antonio where you had a dream. The porch is called Gabbatha. Jesus was tried by the court and condemned to death on the cross. Instead of defending him our national leaders cried, Crucify him on the cross. Therefore, God has visited this nation with His judgement. Our sins reached up to the sky and spilled the cup of Gods wrath which has fallen upon us. My own father told me many times that a time like this would come. Why should we, the Jews, take it as if we suffer what we do not deserve. We have been repaid with misery for our own sinful deeds. Cornelius said, Now I also understand the meaning of what I saw. How fortunate I am that I saw it. Joan, do not fear and do not worry. We shall never be separated because we are bound together by the love of Christ. I promise that I will live only for Christ and you, and that
I will seek you out wherever you may be. But we are in difficult circumstances, and I shall have to take you out of this house myself. It is now not far to dawn-break. If I leave you alone in this house, some rude merciless soldiers may find you out. So it is necessary that I should take you out as my captive. Joan hang her head in anguish. She was too sad at having to leave the home in which she had grown up and spent many happy days and suffered many privations, and that, too, not of her own will and accord but to be a slave. The thought of it all made her miserable. But then, she thought, what Cornelius said was a severe truth. If other soldiers found her they would mercilessly take her out, torture her and molest her to satisfy their animal passions. Therefore, she had to prepare herself to leave the house and become a Roman slave, however reluctant she might be. Cornelius tried to allay her fears and encouraged her not to worry too much because she was going to be his captive! He said that the Roman law provided that one could keep ones captive as his slave. So you shall be my slave first in order that I may become your slave, he said, and continued, Indeed I have prayed that I may become your slave. Joan took a few of her best dresses. She gave all the money that she had to Cornelius so that nobody would rob her of it. She left all other things as they were in the house. They securely locked the house and put up a poster which read ROMAN PROPERTY. It was indeed difficult for Joan to leave the house without any hope to return to it. She looked back at it now and then, and as she did so her tears flowed freely. Though it was an extremely painful thing to do, Cornelius had to tie Joans hands on her back, and led her to the prison house where the captives were confined. From the prison Cornelius went straight to see Gen. Titus. He found him in the fortress where he and his lover, a widowed lady, were happily sitting together on a sofa. Cornelius saluted the General who showed him a seat by them. Titus asked him what he wanted. Sir, Cornelius said, I have captured a Jewish lady and I have put her in the prison. I will be most grateful if you would very kindly allow me to keep her as my slave. Titus was silent for a few moments and looked at Berenice who was sitting by him and said, It is not possible to decide what to do with our captives just now. When we take a procession into the city of Rome, we shall want all of them to march in front of us in order to make the event as pompous as possible. But our leaders will decide, even before that time, what to do about the sick, the old and the weak who are not capable of marching. The cases of young people will be decided in Rome. When we reach Rome the court of the Empire will pass judgements upon them as it thinks fit. Perhaps you shall then be able to take your captive out to keep as your slave. I do not think that it will be impossible as you are a good and honest soldier. In the meantime you may give her a special attention. Cornelius replied, Sir, it is my prayer that you would give me a letter to protect her from being molested and made miserable by the guards. Titus said, We have never given any such letter in favour of any prisoner. What reason is there that I should give one to your captive? Cornelius said, There is no particular reason as such, Sir. But I cannot in my honesty hide the truth from you. I love her. That is the only reason for my prayer.
Titus looked at Cornelius in surprise, Judah has rebelled against Rome, he said, and a Roman officer who is the pride of the Empire is in love with a Jewish girl, his enemy. He seemed displeased by what he heard. He looked at Berenice. He tried to appear genial and polite and said, Love is a wonderful thing, he said, and smiled at Berenice. Then he turned to Cornelius and said, Well, Centurion, I will give you what you want. If a reputed soldier like you wants it because you are in love, I must give you. So he took a piece of paper and wrote on it. A JEWISH GIRL, FAVOURED OF ROME. He signed his name and stamped his seal on it, and gave it Cornelius. Cornelius took the piece of paper from Titus with almost delight. He went back to the prison in a hurry, eager to see Joan again soon. When Joan saw Cornelius coming back to her, she saw him fresh and joyful, much better-looking than when they first met. An honest Christian girl and one who loved Cornelius with a pure, holy love. Joan could look at him happily, though in prison. And in that dirty stinking place Cornelius passed a few moments with her, offering her a sweet-smelling flower of love and the letter from Titus which would protect her. And he left her again.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Nobody was free and peaceful in Jerusalem except the Roman soldier and the desert owl. All those Jews who had survival the massacre had been confined in prison to be marched into Rome to make their victory celebrations as pompous as possible. Those young Jewish Zealots who escaped the killing had all gone away into hiding. Jerusalem was quite and desolate. Since Jerusalem itself had been captured, those rebels who were still in hiding were no longer a force to reckon with. The Romans were therefore now free and at feast in Fort Antonio to celebrate their victory. The moon was shining very bright that night and General Titus, accompanied by a bewitching widowed lady called Berenice, came to the feast as a special quest. That lady had tried every means to win the generals heart ever since he came to Judea. They brought out pots of good old wine which they reserved for the occasion. Some of the Officers, like Titus, brought with them women from odd places, too. When the feast was ready Titus stood up and made a speech. He said, Brave officers of the Empire, the land of Judah is now in our hands, Jerusalem has fallen. But we cannot blame the Jewish nation. This land has been theirs from ancient days. They have every right to claim and defend their own land, and they are fully justified to fight for their nation. However, what is important and necessary is to search our own hearts even when we are to defend our nation and ask ourselves if we stand upon the foundation of Justice. No nation will succeed if it fights to defend itself and its religion out of greediness without upholding truth and justice Rome has been given strength by the gods to reign over its own land, and over other lands abroad. It has been endowed with heroism so the fighting men of other nations may tremble before its forces. Rome does not love fighting just for the sake of fighting, nor does it hate other nations for no reason. But it will fight and smash all those aggressors against us because it is just and right to defeat them. Tonight, I offer this cup in the name of the god of
Mars, for the gods have crowned us with victory and glory. So saying he threw a beautiful Egyptian wine glass, full of the best wine, to the floor. All the officers cheered him by clapping their hands. In the silence which followed the cheering, an officer in one corner began telling a story which he heard from Jews captured by him. He was talking rather loud and as it was otherwise quiet, he drew the attention of other officers who listened attentively to what he was saying. He said, This was told me by a Jew I captured. The Jew said that they lodged in Fort Antonio one night, and he was a sentinel. Deep down beneath the porch of this fort they heard a very strange and terrifying sound. It was like the sound of a heavy landslide, or that of a multistoried building collapsing. And this was followed by the sound of people, especially women, screaming in fear. After the sound subsided the porch of this fort was shaking sideways as if it was moved by a strong force from deep down the earth. The fort itself and another areas around the porch stood solid and unshaken. Their sleeping comrades were also awakened by this noise. So much horrified they all were that they began running away. From another corner where he had been sitting Cornelius asked, If they really heard the sound, what could it be? If the porch only shook what could be the reason? Rebilus answered, I should think that by means of a sacrilegious act on the porch the gods must have been offended, probably by the Jews, or there must .have been a great massacre on it. Therefore either the gods or the spirits of those killed must have avenged in that manner. Berenice said, I was brought up in Judea, and perhaps I am the best informed among us about Jerusalem and this fort. I have never heard of any such occurrence in this fort. When Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea there was a man called Jesus of Nazareth who claimed to be a prophet. One of the followers of Jesus, called Paulus, was arrested. I witnessed his trial in Caesaria before my father. Of physique he was an insignificant and despicable person, but he was a very tough and arrogant man. Before my father Paulus delivered quite a long speech in his own defence. After his speech my father said to him. Paulus, you think it a small task to make a Christian of me - just off hand to induce me with little ado and persuasion, at very short notice. Paulus replied, Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you, but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am, except for these chains. Even my father was intending to release him because he had no proof that Paulus transgressed any of the Roman laws. But Paulus himself preferred to be sent to Rome. Be that as it may, but what connection is there between Paulus and this fort? asked Cornelius. Berenice answered, Oh, I have not said everything. According to my father, Jesus was quite an extra-ordinary man. The Jewish leaders could not tolerate such a man and had him arrested. They testified against him before Pontius Pilate. And they had good reasons for doing so. Jesus said that in three days he would demolish and rebuild the Temple which took the Jews forty years to build, all by himself. He also claimed that he was before Abraham, the progenitor of the Jews, and that even if the Jews killed him he would rise again after three
days. While he spoke such absurd things, the gullible multitudes followed him everywhere he went expecting him to perform wonders and miracles. The Jewish elders were infuriated. It was for reasons such as these they had him arrested. The Roman procurator in Judea, Pontius Pilate, held his court on the porch of this fort and passed judgement upon him. As a matter of fact even Pilate couldnt establish any evidence of his being rebellious against Rome. He didnt find him guilty and wanted to release him. But the Jewish crowds were all out to kill him, and it was on that porch that it was decided to crucify him. The Paulus I was talking about was a disciple of Jesus. Cornelius asked-again, If the Jewish young mans account is true, and that thing did happen as he said, could the reason of it be attributed to the fact that Jesus was tried and condemned in that-place? Berenice replied, Far from it. Nothing of that sort-could happen there just because a death sentence was passed on an ordinary Jew like that Nazarene. Men of more significance and even sorcerers have been convicted and sentenced in various places and no such thing even occurred. Why should it happen there just because Jesus of Nazareth was tried there? If such a thing could occur at all, we must have often heard several instances in different places where other criminals were condemned to die. That thing, even if it really occured, had no significance at all. She was shaking her head in contempt and disbelief. Another officer named Proculus then asked, Madam, how do you account for the phenomenon, then? Berenice glanced at Titus to see if he was tired or not, and said, I do not know what may be the reason of it. May be deep down in the process of being formed, and big stone blocks sometimes dislocate themselves and fall down, thereby creating strange loud noises and also causing a tremor up there, like in the porch of the fort. The officers looked at one another apparently in approval of what they heard. Now the feast was served. Cornelius inquired from his friend. Tribune Vibsanus, where that woman was from and who she was. Vibsanus said, Oh, that woman? Yes, I know her very well. Her father, Herodus Aggrippa, was a King of Judea. That woman married her fathers brother, but they separated later. Not only is she a divorced lady, she is now on the wrong side of forty. After the Jewish rebellion she and her kith and kin have been on the side of Rome. This lady and our commander have fallen in love with each other. They have since been living like man and wife. Our commander could not resist her temptations. They are now living together in the fortress. So our General spent the days of fighting with a divorced lady. And Berenice is one who cannot be surpassed in the art of wooing men and winning them. Even our General has surrendered himself to her. In that night Titus saw in his dream an old man with thick gray beard wearing a long robe. The old man said to him, God has given the city of Jerusalem to you. Rome has been crowned with success and glory because the Jews have transgressed the command of their God, and you are the man who was predestined from ancient days to destroy the city, and to turn every stone upside down. The hand that sheds blood has been strengthened in order that nations may fall before you and an old city can be made desolate. The fact that your hands are stained with Jewish blood will be told like a story for ages. The Almighty has left the city and handed it over to Rome. He has given to you the rod and the sword in order that all stones laid
one upon another shall be turned over. That this would come to pass was foretold ages ago by our prophets. When he woke up the next morning Titus was thinking of his dream. He feared that unless he did as he was told in his dream, something very dreadful would happen to him. He told Berenice what he saw in his dream, Do as you were told in your dream. Summon all officers under you, and begin demolishing Jerusalem today, or you shall regret your inaction later, said Berenice. Titus called all his officers together and ordered them to get the city demolished until no stone was left upon another. The soldiers had no mere battle to fight, so they began the work straightway. They worked day after day to destroy the city so completely that nobody would make an habitation of it anymore. But there was one place, a house of worship, in which King Solomon had the stones laid so firm and secure that, in spite of their best efforts, they would not come apart. Besides the stones being so secure and hard to break, the soldiers were possessed with an inexplicable fear that something dreadful would happen to them. They tried their best to be manly and redoubled their efforts. Titus himself supervising the work, but to no avail. Titus was between the horns of dilemma. If he left the house undestroyed, he was possessed with fear of the old man of his dream. If he could destroy, he feared then, too, that something equally dreadful was to befall him. Anyway they tried their best and completely failed to accomplish their tasks. That was the only house left undestroyed by the Roman soldiers. Horatius visited Joan that morning after they had destroyed the city of Jerusalem and he was very tired. In the prison it was not possible to talk to each other as freely as they would wish. Besides, the other prisoners looked at Joan with suspicion because she was occasionally visited by a Roman-officer, and naturally gossips were afloat about her. Joan felt depressed and isolated. The Jews in prison did not know that Joan loved Jesus at the cost of being despised and isolated. On the other hand, they thought that Joan was a frivolous and capricious girl who sought her own safety by befriending Roman Officers. The prison house was far from being an ideal place for Joan and Cornelius to exchange words of love. And Joan kept with her a letter of the Roman General to protect her. If the other inmates discovered this, what else would they think she was? Joan felt very lonely in the midst of her compatriots whose sufferings and hardships she fully shared. The only lover she had was Cornelius whose friendship was her stronghold, the only man on whose care she could count for her future. But then, he was a Roman officer, and her relationship with him could only be maintained at the cost of being misunderstood and despised by her own kith and kin. Cornelius too felt that he should see his commander again soon because of this precarious situation. Horatius Cornelius went to the fortress to see General Titus. The sentry saluted him and said, Sir, let me go and see if you can have appointment with him right now, and went into the house. A little later a very white German slave came out and said, Sir, the General wants you to wait for his call. When at last he was called into the house, Berenice was just coming out from there. In spite of her age she looked like a teenager from a distance. But seen at close range her face displayed wrinkles and freckles everywhere. As they were about to pass each other Berenice irreligiously looked at Cornelius.
Titus was all alone in the room. On the table before him there were golden vessels they took from the Jerusalem temple. His disposition that morning was not at all pleasant, he was obviously feeling ill at ease. Cornelius spoke first and said, Sir, as ordered by you we have captured Jerusalem, and back in Rome your own father is on the Emperors throne. In spite of all this I never see you happy these days. Even now you do not appear pleased. Please tell me if there is anything I can do for you. I will do anything for you with all my might only if you let me do it. Titus said, Thats very thoughtful of you; but, Cornelius, there is nothing you or I can do to lift this burden off my shoulders. However, you are the only one of our officers who has any understanding. As you see, I have a cobweb of a problem and I will disclose it to you, for you seem to understand things even by their external appearance. But before I say anything, tell me why you have come to see me. What do you want? Cornelius said, We have so many prisoners that to feed them has become a problem. What are we to do about them? Shall we send them to Rome or exterminate them all? Titus, putting the butt-end of an ostrich feather between his teeth, was quiet for some moments, and then asked back, How is that Jewish girl go yours. I mean your captive? Is she still in prison, too? Yes, Sir, said Cornelius. In fact it is on her account that I have come to see you. Titus said, That slave girl of yours is as beautiful as the goddess Venus. Do you mean to ask me for the right to marry her? Cornelius replied and said that time would tell about marriage. He said, We are busy fighting a war and we cannot talk about marriage yet. Titus said, Cornelius, what you have said is absolutely true. While we are on the battlefield we cannot think of marriage. But then, Cornelius, I have fallen into trouble with a woman, and widely opened his eyes. Cornelius said, I have said that we are too busy to think of marrying. But you know only too well that I have come to see you because I, too, am in trouble about a woman. As I said to you a few days ago, I would like that captive of mine to be sent to Rome, and I need you, out of compassion for me, to beseech your father, our worthy Emperor, to decide her case favourably. Titus was again quiet for some moment, poured some wine into a cup and handed over to Cornelius. But Cornelius politely declined the wine by saying, Sir. pardon me, please, I do not touch wine. Titus was amazed and said, This is the first day 1 have ever seen a Roman officer who doesnt drink wine. Some say they dont drink wine, but they drink it out of respect of their superiors. Some who indulge in it cannot restrain themselves even in the presence of their superiors. Generally speaking, they dont care anything when it comes to drinking. They are not ashamed to show bad behaviour before their superiors, but when it comes to speaking the truth they fight shy of it.
I understand the difficult situation you are in. I know that you are in love with that Jewish girl. I will spare her life as desired by you. And when we deal with her case in Rome, she will be given what she deserves. Nothing more can be done here, and now. So see me again when we reach Rome. Cornelius then rose to leave but Titus said, Please sit down again and stay on for a while. I said that I would tell you about my own trouble, Cornelius resumed his seat and Titus continued, You have come to see me because you are in trouble about love, and I also want to tell you about my love affair. When we were about to enter Judea under my fathers command, my father ordered us to be kind on those people in conquered lands, especially on children and their womenfolk. He particularly warned us against having love affairs with women. But now I am in trouble with a woman myself. As you know, I have lived with a lady called Berenice, daughter of Herodius Aggripps, while my girlfriend Flora Pasiphae is waiting for me in Rome. Berenice is older than I, and a witty woman who is shameless, immodest, and absolutely indecorous. And she is bewitchingly pretty and knows how to please. And my girl back home, Flora, is one of the five selected beauties in Rome. She is the daughter of Lucius Aelius Sejanus of the Praetorian headquarters, who in turn is a descendant of the famed General and Judge Atilius Regulus. She is so pretty that Nero himself was mad about her. After we had left for Judea, a great holiday was declared by Nero. During the celebrations Nero looked at Flora with amorous glances in the presence of his wife Peppae Sabina. And Poppae didnt dare to say anything to her husband, but she stood up, and before a great crowd abused Flora in vituperative languages. I received a letter from Flora during the Galilean battle, in which she told me how much offended she was, he said, and took out the letter from under the cushion of his chair, And I got yet another letter in which she has told me how sad and aggrieved she is by the news of my affairs with Berenice, he said, and brought it out from the same place. I love Flora, I love her true. But Berenice is the one who is living with me and I find it too difficult to break away from her. And when I shall see Flora again in Rome, I know that I will not be able to resist her. The trouble is that Berenice is firmly determined to follow me to Rome. I am in such deep trouble without anyone elses knowledge. Now that I have confessed my secrets to you, can I expect any advice from you? What do you think I must do? How am I to go along? Cornelius, holding one of the gold cups which he lifted from the table, was quiet for some moments. Then he said, There are different kinds of love. There is a love which serve the purpose of pleasure seekers. There is another kind of love which disguises enmity and hatred, and secretly works to destroy its object. It is the most dangerous kind of love. And there is yet another kind which means passion, an instant love, and it does not last. There is a true love which does not change under adverse circumstances. When Gaius Caligula Germanicus was Emperor, an exceptionally pretty girl of Britannica came into Rome and made her way into the Praetorian military headquarters. The Commander, Titus Manilius fell in love with her. He became so mad about her that he gave away the most important military secrets to her. But fortunately for the Empire they were caught in time. They were tied together and made to swing to death.
It is hardly possible to tell one kind of love from another. There is no difference to be felt when any kind of love or another exercises its impact on its object. But they are essentially different in their realities. Sir, nobody will be able to say what kind of love has possessed you, and none will be able to bear with you its burden. It is for you to look at it squarely in the face, with the utmost care, and watching your own behavior at all times. Try to find out the peculiar traits and characteristics of your lover, whoever she may be, her past life, her family background, her inclination and her inborn tendencies. If after all this you are satisfied that she would make an ideal companion for life, only then would it be right to give her your love. The life of real lovers is peaceful and is always crowned with human dignity. Titus was immensely pleased by this piece of advice from Cornelius. He now saw Cornelius in a new perspective - he saw him to be an officer with a difference, and not just one of the tribe. He possessed an unspeakable respectability and greatness. Titus had worked with many Roman Officers, in fact with almost all of them, but this officer possessed a quality which put all the rest in the shadow. He was not the kind of man to be treated as a simpleton even by the Emperors son. So he wanted Cornelius to be with him, and took him away from the other officers, and gave him a room in the fortress.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The very spacious hall in which the highest council of the Roman Empire, headed by the Emperor, made decisions and passed judgement in the affairs of the state was already full of Roman noblemen. They were only waiting for the arrival of their Emperor, Flavius Vespasianus. The member of that august body were as silent as statues. There was no movement except of those scribes near the throne and quite a few of the dignitaries who, with cupped hands, whispered to those sitting next to them. A trumpet blowing slowly from the upper storey of the huge building broke the silence, and just then the whole assembly stirred like bees in a hive. Vespasianus entered the hall with two Roman Officers in front of him who held their swords perpendicularly erect. Vespasianus wore his royal robe by hooking it on to his shoulders. He walked slowly, taking his steps in a dignified way, behind the officers. Behind him marched six praetorian officers, two each in a line. The house stood up in salutation of their Caesar. As he walked long those near whom he came bowed theirs heads to the Emperor. His throne was set on a raised platform which was covered with thick purple velveteen, and there were three stairs leading up to it. He slowly ascended, putting his two feet on every stair-case. His throne dazzled bright with its gold and pearl ornaments. The seat and back of it were thickly padded with the best Arabian woolen fabric. He waved the congregation to sit down before he himself took his seat. The council was to deliberate on how to give a befitting welcome to the home-coming heroes from Judea. General Titus, son of the Emperor, conqueror of the Judean war, was coming home bringing with him thousands of captives. He and his men were to be given a heros welcome, and a tentative programme had been drawn up for approval by the house after
deliberations. A scribe read out the draft to the assembly. After this Vespasianus stood up and in his baritone voice addressed the gathering saying, Honourable members of the house, I do not think I will see as great a victory as this one any more in my time. I say so because I know for sure that there will be no more rebellion of such magnitude during my reign as your Emperor. Even the recent Jewish hostilities broke out in Neros time, not mine. I myself had been away for two years fighting to suppress the rebellion. Rome almost broke asunder in my absence, and it was to restore our motherland to its inherent strength and glory that I was called upon to ascend this honourable throne. It was from my throne that the Judean uprising has been brought to an end. This victory is not an individuals achievement, but the victory of the Roman Empire. The whole house listened with rapt attention as he spoke. Our brave soldiers, he continued, are coming home from Judea, and we must, in the fitness of things, make their home-coming an occasion for the greatest of rejoicings. Let us accord to them a welcome befitting their heroism and their spirit of sacrifice in total disregard of their personal ends. Those must rejoice, too, who are in our colonies and who have been redeemed by Roman blood. Those young men, the pride of our nation, who have given their lives that our country may continue to be glorious will be remembered forever. Now they have become part of foreign soil. The god Mars has blessed us with victory, and the god Jupiter has exalted our nation, as a reward for the noble deeds done by our gallant soldiers. Glory to be Rome. The whole house rose and heartily applauded the Emperors speech. After the speech the house discussed the draft. They made some changes here and there, deleted some items and put some new items into it. Caesar then approved the final draft and subscribed his signature. Information was then sent out to all parts of the Empire, telling the people to be in Rome on the day the home-coming heroes were to enter the city. Those who would not be able to come were told to make victory celebrations in their own places. Those who had been in prison for twenty years on that day, excepting those guilty of murdering Roman citizens, were .granted pardon. Those who had been slaves of Roman citizens for up to twenty years were allowed liberty. The people were so eager for the day to come, that processions were taken out in the streets every night, merry-making parties were held everywhere, and the night was never quiet. While everyone in Rome was happy, Flora Pasiphae was not. She heard that Titus was bringing with him an aged, divorced lady who knew no shame. She could not at all be happy. Instead she dreaded the coming event. However, she made up her mind to dress herself as attractive as possible, and to be there somewhere in order that Titus would not miss seeing her. If in spite of all her efforts she should not win him back, she would climb up to the pinnacle of Jupiter temple and jump to her death from there. Flora was known all over the Empire and beyond for her beauty. People came to see her from land as for as Numidia an Armenia. Titus himself thought he wouldnt be able to resist her. She dressed herself with the best Arabian clothes, and applied on her skin the famous lotion discovered by the Greeks, as well as Egyptian perfumes and balm from Gilead, all in order to attract the attention of Titus. The Ostian harbour on the river Tiber was profusely decorated for the arrival of Titus and his men. The land route from there onwards, it was thought, would be too risky as the crowds would be thick and hard to control. So it was arranged for the party to sail up the river
Tiber and enter Rome. The bank of Tiber at which they would disembark was prepared and dressed up day after day by five thousand slaves. The people of Rome were all caught in the fever of excitement. Greetings were exchanged, dinners were made to which friends and neighbours were invited. Friends who had separated from each other and were not in talking terms were reconciled. Innumerable crowds were flocking to the temple of Jupiter to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, hi the temple of Mars thousands upon thousands of victory garlands were placed. Amidst all this Flora turned to the goddess of beauty, Venus alone. All the sacrifices she offered were that she might be blessed with beauty. General Titus and his men arrived at the Ostian harbour from the Mediterranean sea, which the Romans called our sea in a fleet of battleships. A guard of honour was presented by a company of the Praetorian Guards. After eating the dinner prepared for them in that harbour city of Ostia, Titus and his battle-front wife Berenice embarked on a specially decorated warship. On the day they were to enter Rome, they disembarked at the shore which had been meticulously prepared and decorated for their arrival. A thousand Praetorian soldiers, smartly dressed in full Roman uniform, gave them a salute. There was a specially decorated chariot drawn by four big, white Idumean horses at the ready for them to ride into Rome. The Generals chariot was to be followed by high-ranking officers riding on white horses, and the captives were to follow the horse-riding officers. The last in the procession would be Roman soldiers in foil battle-dress in several straight columns. Exactly in accordance with this arrangement, the procession marched into Rome. Horatius Cornelius was dressed in his officers uniform and rode behind the chariot of Titus and Joan. A charming slave girl whose hands were tied on her back, was immediately behind Horatius Cornelius. Great throngs of people were there on both sides of the road, looking at the grand procession. Officers and soldiers, judges and noblemen who stood in line along the road saluted them. The crowds cheered lustily and threw flower petals at them, and waved at them. Over a million people had already gathered there where the war heroes were to be received and accorded formal welcome. There was a raised platform on which the Emperor, Vespasianus was seated. Just opposite the Emperor, there were rows of seats for the officers who had fought in Judea. General Titus was seated before those lines of officers. The space behind the officers was filled to capacity by the soldiers wo had been engaged in the Judean battle. The Jewish captives including Joan, were taken away to Mamertine prison. Emperor Vespasianus and his wife Ceres came in a chariot drawn by big white horse instead of the usual royal carriage. The multitudes stood up in their places as soon as the royal couple entered the place. The noise of the cheers sounded louder than the noise on the day Rome was burnt. To open the celebrations a choir sang OH ROME! compsed by Silius Italicus. The last stanza of the song was as follows: Oh Rome! The land upon which thou standest is an exceptionally beautiful land, Surrounded as thou art by the mighty hills of Capitoline, Palantine and Aventine; And the vast plains of Quirinae and Viminal. On the top of Esquiline and Caelian we are crowned with victory,
While the river Tiber flows by us in its eternal grandeur, Oh Rome! Oh Rome! Stand thou firm and solid, so long as the world lasts; Here we are delighted, aged and young, women and babes, The glory of the realm, be ever more glorious, forever and ever. When the choir came to the last stanza the crowds stirred in excitement. Many swayed to and fix), backwards and forwards, while quite many stood up in their places and stretched and waved their arms in gay abandon. Emperor Vespasianus then stood up to address the vast sea of human faces before him, and the crowds cheered him lustily by clapping their hands. He waited for the noise to subside, and then in a clear baritone voice said, Beloved citizens of the Empire of Rome, what we celebrate today is not the defeat of the Jews, but the victory with which we have been crowned. We like the Jews to become faithful subjects of Rome. But they rose in rebellion against us; against this mighty Empire. As any rebellion on the part of any nation within our realm has to be suppressed, we couldnt help doing what we did on them. We do not make any distinction between different races and people - Jewish, Gaul or others. Any violent hostility of any nation shall be put down with a strong hand. Today, our forces have got a reward for their toils and have come back home for their well-earned rest. The victory they have brought home is not the Emperors victory, nor is it of the fighters alone. It is a victory of the people, a victory of the common man. We all have a share in this victory. Had the victory been only of the Emperor and the soldiers, only they would have come here. Therefore, as a testimony to the truth that this is the peoples victory, I declare liberty for all those who have been in prison for twenty years, excepting those guilty of murdering Roman citizens. Thunderous cheers greeted the proclamation. When the noise calmed down he continued, And I declare also that those who have been slaves of Roman Citizens for upwards of twenty years are set free. Louder and prolonged applause followed the announcement. A gold replica of an olive leaf signifying victory and peace was awarded to every soldier who fought in the Judean war. After the ceremonies were over, the crowds dispersed to make merriments in their own places and in their own ways. And those who were invited went to Forum Romanum where a grand feast was prepared for them in honour of the victorious soldiers. Forum Romanum was a huge building. In the middle of it there was a raised platform called rostra. Vespasianus climbed up and stood on the rostra and spoke to the noblemen of Rome. He said, Beloved friends : you are the crowns of the Empire, crown of glory. There is too much to say in a day like this. But it will be unwise of me to say all that is in my mind. So I will be brief and say just one or two things. As you know, Nero had a great building erected and called it Neros Golden Palace. His purpose was enjoyment of pleasure with wine and women where he could not be disturbed by anyone. In that very place, to commemorate our victory and the resultant peace in the Empire, I wish to build a Temple of Peace. This announcement was a greeted with loud cheers, and he continued:
However, there is a disturbing news for me to break to you. I have received a report saying that the Sicarri group of the Zealots, under the command of Eleazer are now lodging in Fort Masada, on a hilltop by the bank of the Dead sea. The fort was built by Herodius, once Governor of Judea. Eleazer and his men are preparing for another war. Today when we are celebrating our victory, it is somewhat painful for me to bring this news to you. But I want you to know that those few rebels are not formidable rivals for us, and they are too insignificant even to disturb our sleep. However, if we allow those rebels to go unchecked, they will create disturbances in future. So we better subdue them before long. After this festive mood dies down it will be necessary to go there again. Who of our officer will be willing to go? Almost all officers present stood up in response to his call. And he said : Thank you. It is reassuring indeed to see so many soldiers who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the Roman Empire. This is not an occasion to make a lengthy speech. It is a time to be spent happily, he said, and as he resumed his seat made a sign with his hand to the ladies in waiting to start serving wine. Well-built, charming Roman ladies so dressed as to arouse the passion of those soldiers just back from the theatre of war, then went round with glasses of wine on trays. Many soldiers looked askance at them seemingly more interested in their bodies than in the wine they offered. Horatius Cornelius, however, would not even wink at anyone of them. He was rather disgusted by their exposed bodies and faces. The smell of their perfumes made him sick, and their manners were repulsive to him. All through the celebrations Cornelius was thinking only of Joan who was in Mamertine prison. He was eagerly looking forward to seeing her again, and he was equally eager for the celebrations to end. He was at the same time much in a hurry to see his mother. As soon as the feast was over he went straight to his home. His mother was as eager to see him as he was to see her. She was an old woman at the fag-end of her life, and she was only happy to see her son back home. The first thing Cornelius told his mother was how he happened to meet Joan, a beautiful Jewish girl and an honest Christian, and how they fell in love with each other. His mother asked, Do you know anything about her family? Cornelius said, She is the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, who took down the body of Jesus from the cross for burial. His mother in a trembling voice said, Oh, I see. How amazing are the ways whereby things come to pass! I know Joseph. He was a friend of your father. How I wish that your father were still alive at this moment. He was not very likely to have a chance of visiting Mamertine goal as soon as he would like to do. So he sent his aide, Sulla, to find out Joan in the prison and to know her condition there. While Sulla had been away to Mamertine. Cornelius was busy in his room to settle all matters respecting the men under him, for while in Judea they had not been paid their salaries, and many things else remained to be cleared. All the while he was thinking of Joan and he was eager for Sullas return.
Sulla came back in the evening. Cornelius met him at the door, and asked Sulla just where he had found Joan and how she was. Was she in a miserable condition? Was her condition telling on her health? Sulla replied, She seemed to be well physically, but all otherwise. She wanted to know when you would be able to visit her, but that is what I could not answer. Where is she? asked Cornelius Sulla said, You walk along in front of the prison and enter by the third door and then walk a fairly long distance on the corridor and then down underground, and you find a row of cells. Joan is in the seventh room with about twenty others. Except that it is congested the room itself is not particularly so miserable. What is apprehensible is that the lack of good air may be telling on her health. Cornelius was quiet for some moments, and looked upwards and moved his lips as if he was praying. Then he went into the house and ordered one of his slaves to get a horse ready at once. He ran to the market to buy provisions for Joan.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Cornelius was not at all enthusiastic about the special dinner arranged for the officers who had returned with victory from Judea. He could no longer be charmed by man-made spectacles, flashy entertainment specials and pompous parades of human power and achievements. But he had to go, otherwise he would be misunderstood. The beautiful house was decorated with a highly increased dose of glitter, and the purpose of his fellow officers was enjoyment of the pleasures of life to the full. No nobleman or dignitary was invited because they wanted to enjoy the time in full freedom without any restriction whatever. It was thought that the presence of even Titus would be bothering to their liberty, but they had to ask him to come, at least out of courtesy. But luckily for the officers, Titus had to go away to inspect the positions of their soldiers stationed in Tarentum and Brundusium, so they heaved a sigh of relief to hear that he would not be able to come. They were happy that they would be able to come. They were happy that they would not be able to come. They were happy that they would be able to spend the time with wine and women, to their hearts delight. After the great dinner in the beautiful garden of Lucullus. Cornelius returned tired and disgusted. He intensely disliked the behaviour of his comrades during the feast, how they indulged themselves in loose talk and in fleshly pleasures of all sorts. Sulla was still awake waiting for his arrival back home. As soon as he entered Sulla asked, Sir, have you heard any news about Masada in Judea? Cornelius said, I have heard no news lately. Anyway, I am tired of hearing news about rebellions and wars. The other day those fellows stood up before the Emperor to show their readiness to attack Fort Masada. May-be they did it just to please the Emperor, I do not know.
As for me, I wouldnt go there any more. Instead of fighting another war, I would rather leave the Army. Sulla said, You do not seem to have heard the latest news. Macrobius and two other soldiers arrived here from Judea yesterday. They say that Jonathan is there among the Sicarii group of the Zealots under Eleazer in Fort Masada. I am not sure if that Jonathan is Joans brother. I did not hear the report direct from Macrobius, but from others who met him. Cornelius interest was now totally focussed on this news and he asked. Where may Macrobius be, then? Sulla said, If he is the Macrobius I know, his house is there in Porta Nomentana, and I should think he is in his house! Forgetting all his tiredness Cornelius told Sulla to be ready and said, The night is not yet too late. Let us go straight away to Porta Nomentana. Do you know the location of Macrobius house? Sulla said, I think I know it. On reaching the locality you find a forest of palm tress, and there you find a junction of roads. You follow the one which branches off to the left of the main road and find the house of Gauis Marcena, a friend of Emperor Augusta. Next to it is the house of Macrobius. Come on then, Sir, let us go to the place. They took their horses and galloped away towards Porta Nomentana. They could not run very fast due to the crowds still in the street, and the night was very late when they reached the house of Macrobius. Cornelius and Macrobius sat together and talked about Judea in general and of Jerusalem in particular, and then about the remnants of the Jewish rebels. Cornelius asked Macrobius if he had lately heard any news from Fort Masada. Macrobius replied, Just before we left there we captured two Jewish young men who come out of the fort, on the shore of the Dead Sea. One of them, Ben Nahor, was a very obdurate man and we could not elicit any information from him. So our friends did him in. The other one was not as stubborn and he told us what we asked him. What did he say, then? Did he tell you who their commander was? asked Cornelius. Yes. He said that their leader was Eleazer, and there were three more leaders second to him. But I dont remember the names of those leaders except Jonathan, replied Macrobius. Everything sounds to be true. Eleazer must very well be their leader. When we were on the verge of entering Jerusalem fort and we had begun our attack on the Mount Zion fort, Eleazer was the commander of those who were in it. But after we had captured the fort we did not find him, dead or alive. Our captives told us he escaped. It is now certain that they told us the truth. Well, do you know anything else about one of the leaders called Jonathan? asked Cornelius. Macrobius said, Im afraid I do not know much about that man. When our friends spied upon Fort Masada they found an old letter while climbing up the mount. It didnt look like a very important letter, and only the beginning and ending of it was legible. It began with words. My beloved sister Joan and it ended with Your beloved brother Jonathan. From this we
have concluded that one of the leaders in the fort is the brother of Joan. But we have not taken it very seriously. That is the only information that I have. Cornelius now got what he wanted. But he stayed on for something lest he would arouse the suspicion of Macrobius. He was secretly in great haste to leave. He was eager to tell Joan what he had heard. But he tried to appear the contrary, unconcerned by the news about Jonathan. At long last he took leave of Macrobius and departed. Mamertine prison was out of bounds to others except Roman soldiers, and soldiers too could not visit it at night. So Cornelius returned to his house eagerly waiting for the next day. From dawn-break the next morning he was preparing himself, and after breakfast he went straight to the prison taking with him such provisions as he thought Joan might need. The officer who at that time was in charge of prison administration was one of his closest friends, Marcus Ennuis, son of Lucius Seneca who was a well-known orator. Cornelius was impatient to see Joan but his friend Ennius heavily delayed him taking about the Judean war in which they had taken part, for there were so many things to say. At last when Cornelius got up to go and see Joan, Ennius said, There must be a good reason for a man of your stature to visit a Jewish prisoner girl. What could it be? Cornelius replied, There is no reason other than that her brother is one of the leaders of the Jewish rebels in Fort Masada. I want to elicit some information from her. Ennius said, In that case you may spend as much time as you wish with her; and in case she may not be willing to speak in the presence of the other prisoners, you may take her outside and be with her alone. He ordered one of the guards to lead Joan out of the cell to meet Cornelius outside. Cornelius found that Joan had changed almost out of recognition, and he loved her all the more for her sufferings and afflictions which had caused the change. Joan, in spite of all the hardship she had been passing through, was filled with delight when she saw Cornelius, and that infectious smile across her beautiful/ace was a feast to the eyes of her lover. Joan, I have so many things to say to you, said Cornelius. But the first thing 1 wish to tell you is that your brother is alive. He is now in Fort Masada under the leadership of Eleazer, I have been making every effort to find out his whereabouts, for it would have been unthoughtful of me to come without any news about your brother. I believe there is now no reason for you to worry about him. And the officer who holds charge of this prison is a friend of mine. It is because of him that we can meet here outside the prison house. Joan was surprised and utterly distressed to hear that the prison officer was Cornelius friend, and she hang her head down in dismay. After sometimes she looked up and whispered. So he is your friend, is he? Cornelius assured her that he was a close friend of his. Joan said, You ought to know that your best friend is your worst enemy because he is the most dangerous man for me. Cornelius was dumbfounded and asked Joan in what way Ennius had become dangerous to her. He asked her in what manner his friend had turned to be his foe. Even that morning he was so considerate to Cornelius and allowed him and Joan to meet alone outside the prison house. Joan looked around to see that there was no one to
overhear what they say. Then she heavily sighed and said, I need God. I heed your love for me. But now I have one lover too many. Your best friend has fallen in love with me. He is very angry with me because I do not respond to his advances. He even attempted to take me out of the cell into his room, there to sleep with him. Your good friend cannot be my friend. Cornelius said, I see. But he was very kind and thoughtful to me even this morning when I told him that I wanted to see you. A Joan said, That depends upon the reason you gave him for waiting to see me. He will not at all be pleased if you come more often. May be also he is still in the dark about us. Perhaps you may be able to come occasionally because you are an officer. But it is I who will suffer the consequences. And if he knows that we love each other, your friend will be the first man to seek your ruin. Besides, if he knows also that Jonathan is my brother, he will try to slander you as a traitor who secretly conspires against the government. What will be my lot then? It will be the cruellest death. Cornelius said, He asked me the reason why I wanted to see you, and I told him that my purpose was to inquire about your brother Jonathan. He said that for such an important official business I could meet you, even outside the prison. So I thought it was very gracious of him to let us meet here all alone. Joan said, That is just where we have been ensnared. We have been caught like an animal in a trap. But I love you so much that, were it possible for us to die together, I would die even now. On the other hand, I am determined to be happy under adverse circumstances, and to bear any hardship manfully. But I fear that a misfortune will befall you. I do not want you to suffer even for my sake, and if you have to suffer any affliction, I would suffer with you, and she wept broken-heartedly. Cornelius said, Joan, beloved of mine, I have been praying for good days to come for us. It was by Gods grace that we met amidst blood flowing on the battle-ground. I am confident that the same loving God will not allow us to suffer forever. We are passing through hard times now, and we may expect yet more hardships. But I feel assured that a day is bound to come when you and I will live in peace and share our joys and sorrows together. Be not too pessimistic. If I cannot come, I will send my friend Sulla to you. He is an honest and reliable man. Be brave, sweetheart mine, he said, and fondly held her against him. Time was flying fast and they were now to part again. Cornelius gave clothes and food provisions he brought with him to Joan. Be watchful always, as if you had eyes on the back of your head also, he said, and now you need have no anxiety about your brother. Joan said, I cannot now be much anxious about my brother. We are encircled by dangers without anyone else knowing it. We are foes to no one but the sword of death is constantly pointing to us. Remember this. Cornelius said, I may not be able to visit you as often as I would like to do. But I am happy to think that we shall meet again soon, not in Mamertine prison, but in freedom. An old woman about eighty years of age, mother of Horatious Cornelius, and wife of Centurion Cornelius who was a faithful Christian baptized by Apostle Peter himself was laid up ill. Horatius Cornelius was by her, and he looked after her with care and affection. Her
eyesight was gradually growing dim and she knew that the end was near. With her frail hands she motioned her only son to be nearer to her. Mother, do you want anything? Shall I bring you some soup? With difficulty she pointed to her bed. Cornelius bent low to listen to what his mother wanted to say. She told him to sit on the bed. Her faint voice was hardly audible and so he kept his ear very close to her mouth. My son, she said, My end is now approaching. I am going to my eternal rest, there where your father is. Your father and I passed our times together treading up and down steep and rugged roads in the service of the Roman Empire. You are following in our footsteps. Your elder brother died for Rome, and not in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. But I do not think Rome is worth sacrificing ones life for. I want you to strip off your Roman uniform and become a faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ. I see before you another dark time to pass through. But that darkness is not to be dreaded if Jesus is with you. My son, oh, look up there! Two very bright persons and your father are coming to take me with them. She was quiet and looked upwards for some moments. Then she smiled at her son, and her face was radiant with joy and peace. And she gently closed her eyes never to open them again. Cornelius held his mother and wept bitterly. A couple of days after the death of his mother, Cornelius had a visitor. He was Tribune Vibsanius who fought with him in the Judean battle, and the one who told him about Berenice. Vibsanius asked Cornelius if he had ever heard of an exceedingly beautiful girl called Flora Pasiphae, with whom Titus was in love. Cornelius said, I have heard her name, I have not seen her. Once in my meeting with Titus in the fortress in Judea, her name came up in our talks. Titus told me that he was being constantly goaded by Berenice but that he was in love with Flora. He was in a fix. It was not for a poor mortal like me to suggest any way out of his trouble. Yet I gave him what advice I thought was the best for him. I did not know who and what kind of person Flora was. Vibsanius said, You must have seen her. Even on that day we marched into Rome to celebrate our victory, she was attractively dressed and occupied a seat there where she could not be missed by Titus. She was again the first in the line of ladies who distributed wine at the feast in Forum Romanum. I wonder if you noticed her. But Cornelius did not even wink at those ladies and so he*did not really have the foggiest idea of what Flora was like. Yet out of politeness to his friend and to hide his ignorance he pretended to have seen her, and lied. Oh, yes, that woman! She was well-built and beautiful, and attractively dressed. She was flawless in her looks. Indeed she was as beautiful as what you call the goddess Venus, and it must be difficult for Titus to resist her. Vibsanius was struck by the words what you call the goddess Venus. Why did Cornelius excluded himself from the worshippers of Venus? By the way, why have you mentioned the name of Flora at all? asked Cornelius. Vibsanius said, Flora jumped to her death from the rooftop of the Jupiter temple last evening. What reason she had for ending her life is not known. Cornelius said, Perhaps she did so out of frustration which resulted from her broken affairs with Titus. They say that if things go wrong between lovers it is utterly painful.
That must be true, said Vibsanius, And that divorced lady Berenice is a woman who skills in the art of making herself desirable and irresistible. Moreover, Titus and Berenice had been living together as man and wife for a long time. It must have been too hard to bear for Flora. What to do! Trouble of this kind is the curse of the present-day world. Vibsanius then got up to go home. All the way back home his thought was occupied by those words of Cornelius, What you call the goddess - Venus. If he was a worshipper of the Roman gods, why should he utter words like that at all?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
While the other Jewish prisoners were never visited by anyone, Sulla came to see Joan every now and then. Marcus Ennius, the prison officer and a friend of Cornelius had a suspicion that there was something curious since the visitor was none other than a Roman soldier. So he decided he must find out what was there behind those visits. His liking for Joan filled him with envy and led him to think that she had a link with someone somewhere. Though Cornelius never came again to visit Joan, Ennius thought that there might be something to find out about them through Sulla. Cornelius also knew that he needed to be cautious, and he told Sulla to be very careful with Ennius. But Sulla was an uneducated simple soldier, and his overcautious behaviour and conduct increased the suspicion of Ennius who was a shrewd officer. Ennius began secretly to spy on Sulla and his movements. One day Ennius knew that Sulla had come again to see Joan. So he started right away to Corneliuss house to reach there well in advance before Sullas return. Ennius did not know Sullas bona-fides but he suspected that he was Corneliuss man. He made the death of Corneliuss mother an excuse for his visit, but his purpose was secretly to find out if there was any link between Joan and Cornelius. When Ennius reached there Cornelius was all alone in the house and was singing a hymn: Oh, ye nations, Bow down your heads at the feet of Christ, An d sing a new song of praise unto Him. May His glory surpass the glory of Rome, May his name be exalted all over the earth. Marcus Ennius entered while Cornelius was still singing and said, Greetings, Cornelius, I should have come sooner after hearing your mothers death. And I heard the news rather late. After I heard it I have been too busy to leave the prison. Cornelius replied, It is very thoughtful of you to come at the first opportunity. You see, my mother had lived her full eighty years. She had done her duty here and left for her eternal rest at a ripe old age. Hows that you can afford to
come at all? Ennius said, Ive had to make quite an effort to come here, just because I must see you at this time of your bereavement. Those Jewish prisoners have been giving me a hell of a trouble. Cornelius remembered how Joan wanted him to be cautious with Ennius, but he wanted just to test him and asked, How is that Jewish girl I came to visit the other day? Is she getting on well? Have you seen her lately? Ennius said, Oh, that Jewish! She is a proud and obstinate sort of girl. I never see her. To add to my hatred of the Jews as a nation I am in charge of the captives. I am now-tired of them all, I would that judgement is made soon upon them all and that they all be given to hungry beasts in the fighting field. Cornelius said, If you are so disposed towards them they must be quite a nuisance to you. But then, we are all human beings. Some of us were born Romans and some Nidumai and some others were born to be Greeks. To be born a Jew is just an accident of birth and not a sin. The Jews may be hateful to us because they have been difficult with us. But as human beings, I should think, we are all the same. Marcus Ennius said, I agree with you. Cornelius. As human beings we are indeed the same. Yet the Jews are human beings with a difference. They are a proud people-and they are proud in such a way that they despise and look down upon other races and nationalities. They claim theirs to be the only true religion, and they regard themselves as superior to all other nations. They call us Roman dogs. Once while you were away in Judea during Neros reign, there was an entertainment in Circus Maximus. A hand-to-hand fight between Roman soldiers and Jewish captives was displayed. Had you been there to witness how the Jewish leader vented his anger in such blustering threats and show of violence, you would be furious indeed. He showed no respect at all either to Nero himself or to the Roman crowds. He shouted at the top of his voice and said that Rome was to fall, and that Judah would stand upright for millenniums. They are such a proud people. Sullah arrived back from Mamertine prison and, without thinking that someone else might be in the house said, Sir, Joan is well. She says that she is yearning for you and wants you to visit her. Ennius got what he was seeking. He was angry but he tried to restrain himself not to show his anger, and behaved as if he didnt hear what Sulla said. He stayed on for sometime for it would be indiscreet of him to leave as soon as Sulla came back. Cornelius was secretly tired of Ennius and when he left at last, they heaved a sigh of relief. After he returned Ennius was fully obsessed with the thought of bringing about the ruin of Cornelius, and Corneliuss mind was filled with thoughts about Joan and how they would be able to live together in peace. While they were in Judea Titus was so favourably disposed towards Cornelius that he put him in the fort to be near him. And when Titus was caught between two fires of love - that of Flora and Berenice - it was from Cornelius that he sought advice. So Titus was the man to whom Cornelius, too, could turn for help in an hour of need. Moreover, Titus could best understand Corneliuss trouble for he had passed though more or less the same trouble.
Cornelius was also comforted by the thought that Tituss father was the Emperor, and should be able to save him and Joan out of their predicament. Marcus Ennius was not a commonplace man who could be trifled with. He was the son of Lucius Seneca who was not only a great philosopher but also an orator of renown. His brother, too, was as great as their father. At that time the family was at the zenith of its fame all over the Empire. Ennius was, therefore, not just one young officer, he was widely known and respected due to his familys greatness. His intention was to take full advantage of his familys popularity to avenge for his being rejected by that slave girl, Joan, and to work out means of possessing her. He would not disclose to anyone his secret plan to catch Cornelius in a trap. In the meanwhile he took the greatest care not to be betray his anger, so that nobody would suspect that something was brewing up in his mind. First he tried to win Joans favour by humbly tendering his apologies for the very shameful things he had attempted to do to her. He begged her forgiveness and said, You came such a long way from your native land to Rome, only to be a slave here. I thought you might not refuse to be a little more comfortable than in the prison cell. But you would not lose your honour for any worldly comfort. I praise you for your honesty and integrity. I only blame myself for the shameful things I did to you. He had a twin purpose for doing this: One was to make Joan turn away from Cornelius, and the other was that he might ultimately win her for, himself. He didnt spare any effort to please Joan and make her happy, and sometimes even Joan almost believe to be true. But Joan loved Cornelius and she was true to him. And since Ennius never mentioned the name of Cornelius, Joan suspected his motives. She suspected that behind the thoughtfulness of Ennius there was something dangerous for Cornelius. So she determined to keep herself at a safe distance from Ennius. She unceasingly prayed in that filthy, stuffy prison cell for Gods grace to uphold her. Both Joan and Cornelius were intensely longing for each other, but they knew it was better for them not to meet. Ever since the day Ennius visited him in his house, Cornelius knew only too well that Enniuss heart was not a friends heart. And Ennius heard all that Sulla said when he returned from the prison. So Cornelius had an uneasy feeling. Not only was Ennius an officer, his family occupied a very prominent place in the society of Rome, and he himself was an eloquent narrator of things. If Ennius sought his ruin, he could be very dangerous. Cornelius knew he had to be on his guard. One day he sent Sulla again to the Prison house, and as he was worried he prayed that Joan and Sulla might be protected against Ennius. Cornelius was eagerly waiting for Sullas return from Mamertine prison. When the sun was well past the meridian he saw him come riding at a distance. Cornelius went out of door to meet him. As he jumped down from his horse Sulla said, Sir, my madam is well. Ennius is very thoughtful to her and gives her every good thing to eat. He allows her even to go out and get fresh air. Last night Ennius was drunk and took my madam into his room and tried to let her sleep with him. But my madam refused to be seduced, and in desperation he drank an excessive amount of wine. He was dead drunk and fell asleep. While he was asleep my madam spied a letter on his table and took it away. I have brought the letter with me. Here it is, Sir, I cannot read it, so I do not know what it says. He gave the letter to Cornelius.
As he took the letter Cornelius smiled at Sulla and said, Why do you call her my madam? If God wills, she will be your madam in future, and opened the letter. It read as follows: Oh, Caesar, may you live forever! I, your humble servant Marcus Ennius, who you have put in charge of Mamertine prison Administration, beg leave to submit this my prayer for consideration by your goods elf. I am confident that you have been emboldened by the god Mars to dispense justice without fear, and to take revenge where revenge is called for, and I am comforted by the thought that you will not delay to right the wrong. May Jupiter and June offer to you garlands of blessing and wine cups of favour, so that your reign over this great land may last ages unhampered. Oh Caesar god: I wonder if you know that Praetorian officer Horatius Cornelius by name, who once fought along with you to suppress the Jewish uprising. That very man is now mad in love with a Jewish lady called Joan, who is a prisoner here in Mamertine gaol. I have positive proof that Cornelius, because he loves a Jewish woman, is on the side of the Jews and is conspiring against this great Roman government. And I have proved, beyond any shadow of doubt, that the brother of Joan is now in Fort Masada. His name is Jonathan and he is one of the leaders second only to Eleazer,I know that you are a man who upholds justice at any cost. I, therefore, beg to state the following facts to show that I have brought the truth to your notice. (1) Soon after the Jewish captives were brought to Mamertine prison, Cornelius came to see Joan. He said that Joan s brother was one of the rebel leaders stationed in Fort Masada, and that he wanted to get some information from her. I appreciated his apparent earnestness for Rome, and I allowed his and Joan to meet in a secluded place outside the prison. But my men who overheard them reported to me later that the two talked mostly of love, and they said anything else, it was about things favorable to Judah. After meeting Cornelius presumably had a guilty feeling and never came to the prison again. But he used to send a soldier on his behalf, and since that soldiers always tried to escape my notice, I sensed that something sinister was brewing up. Why should a Roman soldier who wanted to see a prisoner under me try to avoid me at all? (2) Excepting the man sent by Cornelius, no other visitor comes to see the Jewish prisoners. Besides, Corneliuss man visits only Joan and no other prisoner. At first I did not know who sent him to the prison though, of course, I had reasons to believe it was Cornelius. Therefore, on the pretext of offering him my condolence on his mothers death, one day I called on him at his house. When I entered his house he was singing a strange song. I do not remember all the words of the song but I vividly remember some words like, O ye nations, bow your heads down at the feet of Christ. That was enough to prove that Cornelius is a disciple of a certain Jew called Jesus of Nazareth, and therefore a Christian. And we know that Jesus was crucified at the instance of his own men, the Jews, for inciting rebellion against Caesar. While I was in the house of Cornelius, the man he sent to see Joan returned. Not knowing that I was in the house he said, Sir, Joan is well. She says she is longing for you and wants to know when you shall be able to visit her. This incident proved that the soldier used to be sent by Cornelius to see Joan.
(3) My god Caesar: I crave your patience and mercy to listen to more of what I have to say. Recently Macrobius came home from Judea. Cornelius and his man sought him out in his house in Porta Nomentana. Cornelius discussed with him about the Jewish rebels in general, and about Jonathan in particular. The reason why he is so interested in Judean affairs is obvious. It can be nothing short of involvement in the rebellion, if not participation. Therefore, you will understand now that he is a conspirator, a traitor against the Roman Empire and Caesar. (4) Oh, Caesar, greatest of all gods: As I have already said, Cornelius has turned his back on the Roman gods and become a Christian, and Tribune Vibsanius can testify to this statement of mine. Even when Vibsanius visited Cornelius in his house and they talked about Flora Pasiphae. Cornelius described her as beautiful as what you call the goddess Venus. This was related to me by Vibsanius himself, Vibsanius was taken by surprise to hear those words of Cornelius, for he thought Cornelius was a worshipper of Roman gods. You and I know who the Christians are. Even that cruel tyrant Nero classified Christians as the worst of culprits. That was the reason why he had thousands upon thousands of them massacred. Therefore oh, Caesar: I bring this matter to your notice as soon as lean. If you spare the life of this man he will pose a great danger to your throne, for whilst being a Roman officer he takes side with the Jewish rebels. If the people find this out they will throw the blame on you, Joan is now in prison and is unable to do anything. Even if she should be killed there is no problem, but Cornelius is in a position from which he can undermine our very foundations. I, therefore, most earnestly implore you to pass a sentence of death on him as soon as possible after you get this information. If you wish to prove the correctness or otherwise of my statement, I am ready to appear before you at any moment, and Tribune Vibsanius and Macrobius are also ready to testify before you. The sooner you pass judgement on Horatius Cornelius, the better it is for the safety of Rome. Your humble servant Marcus Ennius. Prison Officer, Mamertine Gaol. Cornelius was dumbstruck by what Ennius wrote in his letter, which contained many points of truth. But he was as surprised as he was angry to learn that Ennius had gone so far as to ask Caesar to condemn him to death. He folded the letter and put it in his pocket, went inside and sat on the sofa and contemplated seriously. Then he turned to Sulla and said, Sulla, let us leave the military. But before we do that let us try to bail Joan out of prison. If we cannot do that we shall steal her out. Are you prepared to stay on with me? Sulla replied, Sir, I am ready to be and to do as you like. Will you be worried about your parents? asked Cornelius. Sulla said, My family and I have parted because I am a Christian, I am a free man.
Cornelius said, We shall have no money problem. And about this loathsome letter of Ennius, I am sure that Caesar has not received it. I must see the Emperors son Titus who knows everything about me, while we were serving together in Judea. I told him that I would turn to him in times of need. Sulla said, But Titus has gone to Sardinia, Sir. Cornelius said, I know that, Sulla. But he is returning tomorrow. I will see him as soon as he comes back. If things dont move favourably for us. I will even die for the sake of Joan. However, Sulla, I am feeling the presence of God with us. Blunt lie does not succeed, it is always truth that triumphs ultimately. And we stand upon the truth.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Cornelius remembered what his mother said to him before she died. She said, I want you to strip off your soldiers uniform and become a faithful soldier of Jesus Christ. I see before you another period of darkness to pass through, but that darkness is not to be dreaded if Jesus Christ is with you on the way. And when he saw the letter written by Ennius, he believed that the dark time predicted by his mother was sure to come, but he was not dismayed. He was assured that even if the dark time came, and hardships and afflictions visited him, he would be able to pass it through if God was with him. So he put his trust in God. However, in spite of his belief that he could be victorious throughout the dark period of time, his highest desire was to escape it. So he thought it would be the best thing for him to see Titus as soon as he returned from Sardinia. The day before Titus returned, Cornelius put on his best military uniform. He intended to go to Mamertine prison and see Joan just for the sake of annoying Ennius. He ordered his slave to get his horse ready. But when Sulla saw his master ready to go to he reprimanded him by saying, Sir, it is better for you not to go, because, as I see you, you are filled with pride and anger. If you say you must go, there is nothing I can do. However, it seems to me that you intend to go there not only to see Joan but also to provoke Ennius with whom you are angry. My advice is, Do not go! If it is absolutely necessary, why dont you let me go? Whether I go or I do not go Ennius disposition towards you cannot be changed now. Cornelius had second thoughts about his intended visit to the prison. He looked through the window and saw his slave preparing the horse. As if he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten, he said to his friend, Sulla, call those two slaves who looked after my mother with the best care while I was in Judea. Sulla said, Adonis has not finished preparing the horse. Cornelius said, That does not matter. Let him come. Sulla called Adonis and Solon, the two slaves. Cornelius let them sit before him and said, Solon, Adonis: You have served my mother and me for about twenty years. Even in my absence you took good care of my
mother, and looked after the house honestly as if it were your own property. I cannot be too grateful to you. I wish to tell you that from this day you are no longer slaves, but free men, I am not going to sell you away. What I tell you is that you have been given your liberty. When they heard this they sobbed and tears flowed freely from their eyes. Cornelius continued, But you must have a letter from the judge testifying to your liberty, otherwise you may fall into trouble. I will go to the judge and obtain your certificates of freedom, and have your names struck off the roll of slaves, and then you shall reap the harvest of your labour and own it all. If you are lazy you shall be poor. Nobody will be able to sell you just because you are poor, or because of misunderstanding. It will be unlawful for anyone to beat you. If you work for anyone you shall be paid your wages. But I want you to remember one thing, I release you today not because I am a good and righteous man; it is because of the love of Jesus of Nazareth who my family worships from my father down, and for the sake of Joan. Still weeping because of their joy, Adonis and Solon said, Sir, at the beginning you made us your slaves against our will. But today we assure you that we will become your slaves out of our own free will and accord. All the years we have been with you we needed no other man. If we leave you, we will become just vagabonds from the moment we leave you. But that is not the reason why we want to stay on with you, it is to show our gratefulness to you for setting us free that we want to become your slaves till death. If you are no more willing to keep us, there is nothing we can do. Cornelius said, If you are willing to stay on with me, you are free even to do that. But you shall be given wages for your work. If at any time you should like to leave me, you shall be free to do so. I need you even as you need me. I need helpers. Adonis and Solon said, Sir, we will not draw wages for anything we do for you. Our subsistence is quite enough. We will be looking after you all the days of our lives. That is how we can best repay for all the kindness you have shown to us. Cornelius was firm in his determination not to keep slaves any more in his life. He told Sulla to buy something very special for dinner to celebrate the liberty of his two slaves. Sulla immediately took his horse and ran to the market. When he returned he said, Sir, I have brought fresh fish from the Trasimene lake. Oh, how I wish that my madam is with us to eat it. Cornelius said, Thats very thoughtful of you, Sulla. But you know that these Jewish prisoners are differently treated. They are not allowed to be favoured like other prisoners. Besides, you know the attitude of that rascal Ennius. He is like the proverbial snake which says, Let him put his foot on my tail so that I may bite him. It is wiser for us to get out of the clutches of that devil of a man. The four of us will eat the dinner happily. In the afternoon, Cornelius dressed in his best Roman Officers uniform and rode on a big black Egyptian horse with white stripes on its face and legs. He was quite a sight to behold. A big, well-built and handsome man immaculately dressed in uniform, he attracted all eyes as he rode through the crowded street. Many attractive ladies looked on at him as he passed them, obviously wishing in their hearts to win his favour. But Cornelius didnt seem to care for anyone as his horse was slowly trotting past them. When at last he reached the
entrance of the grand mansion of Caesar, the sentry of the gate saluted him and opened the gate without any question. He went past plenty of big white geese on the green lawn and reached the second gate. There also the sentry opened the gate after saluting him. And when he came to the palace he found high-ranking praetorian officers proudly moving about on its very wide porch. Among the officers on the palace porch there was Marcellus who greeted Cornelius and said, Hello, Cornelius, we havent met after your return from Judea. The last time we saw each other was on the eve of your departure from Bithynia. And you were too far out of our reach on that day of your arrival from Judea. By the way, Cornelius, the wife of Governor Valerius Fabianus of Bithynia was speaking of you in very glowing terms. Since such a beautiful woman spoke so highly of you, I thought you must have tossed her about like anything. Cornelius said, Dont tell a silly joke like that, man. She is another mans wife. Dont you know that Im not as mad as you are about good-looking women? Marcellus asked, Why have you come then as far as this place? What do you want? I thought that those of you who returned from Judea would take rest. Thats true, said Cornelius. We are now having a time of rest. But I have heard that General Titus has returned from tour, and I want to see him. Yes, he has returned, said Marcellus, and he is easy to see today. Only a while ago he was sitting on the upper porch with his flighty wife, and laughed heartily. He led Cornelius up to see Titus who was reclining on a sofa in the upper porch, looking very tired. By him was Berenice, one thigh upon the other, exposing almost the full length of it, unmistakably trying to arouse her husbands passion. As soon as he saw Cornelius, Titus brightened up and said, Come on, Cornelius, come on here and sit by me. Berenice immediately withdrew herself into the room. You must have heard of what has happened. What had do you think of it all? asked Titus. It was obvious that he was referring to his marriage to Berenice and the death of Flora. Cornelius replied, I have heard of the death of Flora. And I believe what I suppose to be the reason why she wanted to end her life is correct. But what surprises me is the fact that she jumped from the pinnacle of Jupiter temple. She could have used the sword. There is the mighty Tiber in which she could drown herself, and there are many higher places to jump from. Why then, of all places, did she choose the pinnacle of Jupiter temple? Marcellus, who was with them, joined the conversation and said, They say that there is a good reason for jumping from the roof of that temple. The wife of Marcus Antonius, who was the sister of Octavian, was supplanted by Cleopatra, who was the Queen of Egypt and a charming lady. Marcus Antoniuss first wife was so disheartened that she jumped from the roof the temple. Not long after this Antonius committed suicide, and it was said that the good Jupiter took revenge on him for his sin. There are other instances of death by jumping from the temple pinnacle after that incident, and even to my knowledge, two young ladies and one young man have died by jumping from there.
Titus said, I also have heard of a similar death. It is said that before he became Emperor of Rome, Tiberius Germanicus married a beautiful slave lady called Helen. But before long after their marriage, the daughter of Caecillius Severus, a Roman nobleman, bothered him by falling in love with him. In desperation Helen jumped down to her death from the top of the temple. And soon after this the daughter of Severus ended her own life by hanging. A legend came to be woven round these deaths which led other angered and desperate people to die by jumping from there, believing that the god Jupiter would take revenge on their adversaries. But they could not be asked any farther question for they had died. By the way, Cornelius, how is that Jewish girl you were in love with, about whom you said something to me while we were in Judea? asked Titus. Cornelius replied, It is about that girl I have come to see you. At present she is Mamertine Prison. There is nothing to worry about her health. But I do not know what our government is intending to do about the Jewish prisoners. If he governments decision is to be ruinous to the captives, I wonder if there is any means of taking her out, to keep her with me. I am badly in need of your help. That is why I have come to you. Titus was quiet for sometime and said, Nothing has been decided about our captives. But I understand your problem very well because all your worry is about love. We have a standing rule of law which entitles a man to keep his own captive as a slave without giving any price. But even then, it is for the judge to say when one can take out Joan without giving a price, the court has not ruled when you can take her to be with you. I am afraid, therefore, I cannot do much for you at this stage. When Titus saw that Cornelius looked glum and disappointed he said, But there is no reason why you should be anguished. You are my friend who stood by me and relieved me of much of my anxiety and burden when we were in Judea. I will speak to my father about you. Really all the standing laws and regulations were made by my fathers predecessors. Now that my father is on the throne we can make laws to suit our own purposes. If my father is pleased and says, released then one is released. Even then, to pass judgement on all the Jewish captives, it is necessary to look into an individuals merits and demerits so that justice may be dispensed as fairly as possible. As you know we the Romans have a motto and we abide by that motto. It is DEUS APTIMUS MAXIMUS, which means courage, justice and glorification. That means that in order to ensure that justice is done, it is necessary first to know whether the decision we intend to make is justifiable. In any case, be not anxious and afraid about Joan.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
To commune with God was Joans only source of peace and consolation, and as she dared not pray openly, she secretly prayed without ceasing. Meanwhile Ennius was making use of every means and opportunity to win her heart. He spoke to her in tender, soothing words and showered her with all good gifts which he thought would please her, while the man she
loved was now shy of visiting her. She had already suffered a lot, and she was prepared to suffer more. But she could not allow Cornelius to suffer. If Cornelius and she would not be able to live together, then life would no longer have any meaning for her. So she braved up herself and resisted even the most difficult temptations. She had chosen Cornelius to be her partner for life. And she had chosen Jesus Christ to be the Lord of her life, life in this world and life beyond. The foundation stone of the Temple of peace to be built in commemoration of their victory in Judea was to be laid, and Caesar ordered the stone from Jerusalem. The day was to be made an occasion of worship and dedication to the god Mars which had made them victorious in the war, and to Minerva the god of skills and Vesta, the god of their hearths and homes which had protected them against great fires. While preparations were being made for the day, the soldiers were also preparing themselves to attack, Fort Masada to annihilate the Jewish Zealots who were stationed in there. One day, after offering their sacrifices to the god of their family, Emperor Vespasianus and his family were sitting together in the spacious drawing room. His sons Titus and Domitianus were also there. They were discussing a question. Where will the spirits of the slaves go after death? When they were talking on the subject a soldier came in and said, Quintilian wants to come in. Let him come, said Vespasianus. Marcus Fibius Quintilianus was well-known for his oratorical ability and eloquence. He had been employed by Vespasianus himself as a professor of homily in Hispania. Titus and his brother had never met Quintilianus and they greeted each other, after the formal introduction and greetings. Titus said to Quintilianus, You are a man of vast knowledge and wisdom, and I want to ask you one thing. This has no relation to what we were talking about just before you entered here. I want your opinion which I am sure will be worth the most serious consideration. As you know, besides Jerusalem and its neighborhood, all the northern areas have been taken by us. But we have heard that Jewish Zealots are still there in a fort in Masada hill which is west of the Dead Sea. We are now preparing to send our troops to attack the fort and capture those who are in it. Do you think you can win those rebels by talking to them? Men are better subdued by word of mouth than by sword. Not only are wars so tedious for us, but they are also too expensive. If you are confident that you can talk them into coming in terms with us, two or three of us will go there with you instead of deploying many thousand soldiers, and our work will be made much easier. Quintilian looked at each of them in quick succession and said, Once people of any nation have been imbued with the spirit of rebellion, it is never possible to let them see reason and win their hearts by talking to them. And it is due to the teaching of their religion that the Jews hate us. They are a people who believe that their nation should never be dominated by any other nation. On the contrary they are a superior race and destined to lord over other nations. Even their present insurgency is not due to maladministration on the part of Rome. Their religion teaches them that they are the elect of God, never to be ruled over by any other nation. They have a distinct language and culture and letters. In fact they despise other races and nations and they cannot willingly be under any other nations and they cannot willingly be under other nation. That is why they have rebelled several times.
In order to ensure that the Jews will no longer be able to revolt against us in future, we must assimilate as many of them as possible in our society, and annihilate the rest. Even those of them who are still in a state of rebellion should be annihilated as quickly as possible, otherwise they will continue to be a thorn in the flesh of Rome forever. Our forces must therefore charge Fort Masada like a wild bull does its victim, and capture them all. Even those loyal Jews should be scattered broadcast in widely different places so that there cannot be any Jewish congregation anywhere. Otherwise they will meet and talk together and the result will always be rebellion. And regarding the question of assimilations, the most effective means is inter-racial marriage. Roman young men should be encouraged to marry Jewish girls. And if a Jewish girl wants to marry a Roman young man, permission should be given readily. Let Roman girls and Jewish young men also marry. Where there is inter-racial marriage on a big scale, there is much less conflict between such nations. Even the Jewish captive girls who are in prison would be given liberty if they wish to marry our young men. The Jewish boys are somewhat different, and I cannot say that they may like to marry Roman girls. This difference in their attitude has its roots in their religion. In any case interracial marriage is the most effective means of assimilating a smaller race by a bigger one. There will not be enough Jewish girls for all Roman young men to marry, nor enough of Jewish young men for all Roman girls. Let as many of them marry each other so that we can make them weak as a race. Strength for strength against the Roman Empire, those rebels who are still in Fort Masada have little significance. They are not equal to even a mote in the eye. But unless they are finished off they will continue to work underground and will be a terror to individual, loyal citizens of Rome in future. One hundred years ago, Spartacus, a strong man of Threcia who was a renowned swordsman, led a rebellion in Capua. He was arrested and confined to prison. There were also slaves and soldiers in the prison who had deserted their masters and were caught and imprisoned. Spartacus incited those deserters to revolt against the prison authorities. They broke the prison house open and began hostilities against Rome. The strength of the rebels gradually increased till it went up to seventy-thousand. No effort was spared to talk them into coming to terms with the government, but to no avail. It was a futile exercise. When all efforts failed Marcus Licinus Crassus led a strong force against them, they were defeated and were all crucified so that they might not rise again. The same thing should be done to those rebels in Fort Masada. Titus said, I have been thinking in that way, too. Even if we do not kill all those in Fort Masada, the ones we capture alive will best be scattered here and there so that they cannot form up any group in future. And I agree with Quintilian when he suggests encouragement of inter-racial marriage. In the time of Tiberius, Centurion Procius married a Jewish woman called Esther. All their sons became faithful and dutiful Roman soldiers. One of them, Cassius Vetus, rose up to be a centurion. By the way, my father, do you know Horatious Cornelius? That intelligent. Handsome officer who served under you in Judea? Vespasianus answered, Im afraid I do not know him personally. But from his name I should think he is the grandson of Cornelius Nepo, and a friend of the famous historian of Cicero. Am I right?
Titus said, I do not know who his grandfather was, but I know that his father is Crematius Cornelius, a centurion. Vespasianus said, Then he is the one. His father became an officer just a little later than I. And his fathers brother was Cossus Cornelius, a well-known Roman ambassador. I know them all, though I do not know Horatius Cornelius personally. Vespasianus waved his hand and a black, charming slave girl came in. He said to her, Bring us wine. And I feel it very hot, so let some of you fan me. Three slave girls who looked very much alike appeared with fold-plated fans. One stood behind him and the other two on either side and began to fan him gently. Holding a cup of wine in his hand Titus said, My father, the officer I was talking about, Cornelius -captured a beautiful Jewish girl who is now in Mamertine prison. He is in love with that girl and wants to marry her, and he came to ask me for a permission to do so. But I could not do anything before bringing the matter to your notice. Cornelius is the best one of my officers, and I admire him and indeed love him as a friend. I think he must be allowed to marry the Jewish slave if he really wants to do so. Vespasianus smiled in pleasure and said, You boys from Judea are a funny lot - you have all come back with a sweetheart or leaving one behind, and some of you have even died for the sake of their sweethearts, and laughed heartily. He put his wine glass on the table, wiped his wife at all, let him take her out. I believe Quintilian will agree with me, and looked at Quintilian who bowed his head in agreement. Titus beckoned the sentry outside who came in and saluted him. Titus said, Call Marcellus, and the soldier went out again. Marcellus was the commander of the palace Guards. He came in his full officers uniform and saluted. Titus said to him. Marcellus, get an order made out for the release of Joan, a Jewish girl in Mamertine prison, and let the order be taken to the prison as soon as possible. Quintilian, too, was about to leave and before he departed he said to Vespasianus, Oh, you god Caesar, may you live forever. May the god Minerva give you wisdom so that your reign satisfies the gods and that your throne may be firmly established for all generations to come. May the God Mars give you the strength you need to conquer all your adversaries, and may it shower its blessings upon your cattle and crops, and went out of the palace. After he had left, Domitian, younger brother of Titus said, That fellows is surely capable of earning his livelihood by his oratorial eloquence. How nice he concluded his conversation! Titus said, I think it will be the right thing for me to go again to attack Fort Masada. Unless I go some other man will get the credit of being the winner, and that will obscure the greatness and glory of our Flavian family. In order that the throne of Rome may be secure for successive generations of our family, I must go. His father said, I am also of the same opinion. But the foundation stone of the Temple of peace has to be laid first. It is also necessary to settle the financial assets of our family. Before then I think we cannot direct our attention to Masada.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Sulla returned from Mamertine prison utterly disappointed. He was shy of meeting his master again who, he knew, was eagerly waiting for his return. Yet he knew also the urgency of bringing the news to him and so he didnt delay anywhere on the way. Cornelius saw him while he was still a fairly good distance away, and sensed that Sulla was not quite the same as he came back from the prison on other days. So he went out as far as the gate to meet him. As soon as he met his master Sulla broken-heartedly said, Sir, I have not been able to find where my madam is. I should have asked Ennius about her whereabouts, but I didnt feel like seeing that man at all, I think that rascal has hidden her away somewhere, and in utter dismay bowed before Cornelius and held his feet. After hearing what Sulla said Cornelius was filled with indignation and his face turned crimson with anger, and he felt he even saw everything red. But he was also aware of the need to be calm and to comfort Sulla not to be too much distressed. He said, Sulla, do not worry too much, we shall surely find her out again. This sinister thing has surely been done by that blackguard Ennius, Ill go to the highest authority of the prison, Galla, and everything will come to light. They entered the house with very troubled thoughts. Cornelius was very furious and told Solon to get his horse ready. As soon as the horse was prepared he ran away to see Galla. But that day happened to be the day of Festival in honour of the god Vesta. The meeting place called Gorum Romanum, north of the Caelian Mountain, was full of people. It was impossible to ride through the crowd and so Cornelius left his horse with the keeper of Forum Romanum, and he himself mixed with the crowd. By the side of Appian road near Forum Romanum was the Vesta temple. Thousands of ladies were coming out of the temple after offering their sacrifices there, flowing like water in a river. Cornelius didnt pay the least attention to those ladies but headed straight for the Palatine mountain. At last he came to the house of Galla, who was the highest authority of prison administration, by the side of the Flaminian highway at the foot of the southern slope of Capitoline mountain. But he found that Galla had gone away to inspect Forentum prison. He was sorely disappointed and angry, and he returned and went to see Marcus Ennius in Mamertine prison. When he reached there Ennius saw him and politely greeted him saying, Cornelius, we havent met for such a long time. You have never come to see Joan lately. The other day she was taken away from here by Caesars order. Im sorry I havent the slightest idea of where she is now. Cornelius was hardly able to conceal his indignation and, in an almost trembling voice asked. When was she taken out? And who came to take her out? Ennius replied, It was three days ago that a soldier came with Caesars letter. I had to let him take her out. As you know only too well, my responsibility is to see that all prisoners are securely confined within the prison walls, and to release whoever is ordered to be released without any question. It is not for me to know where the released prisoner is to go. And the soldier came with Caesars order authorizing the release of Joan, so I released her to him. Please look here, this is the letter from Caesar, and brought out the letter and showed it to Cornelius. Cornelius carefully read the letter which said, I, Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Caesar, emperor of Rome, hereby order that a Jewish lady by the name of Joan who is a
prisoner, be released form her state of being a prisoner. It was impressed with Caesars stamp at the bottom. Cornelius said angrily, The letter is quite clear and firm. It not only says that she could be taken out. It stated in no uncertain terms that she is no longer a prisoner. So the soldier led her out, did he? Ennius said, Yes, he led her out because he came with Caesars letter. Cornelius was not at all satisfied by the answer of Ennius, but there was nothing he could do. So he went to Forum Romanum where he had left his horse. He came home very late that evening and Sulla could read bewilderment in his masters face. He gave him a cup of apple juice. Cornelius sipped a little and then lay down on his bed without saying anything. After some rest he held up his head with his right palm and called, Sulla, is it very late now? Sulla said, Not so late, sir. The sun is still the height of a pestle above Mount Alban, Cornelius said, Let us then be ready quick and to go see Titus, Sulla said, No, sir, It is too late to see Titus. By this time he goes away to play. Besides, all the palace gates must have been locked by now. Why dont we go tomorrow, sir? Cornelius didnt say anything more and lay flat on his bed. A few minutes later Cornelius sprang up from his bed and said, Sulla, why have I been so foolish that I havent brought my worries and anxieties to the all-knowing God? Oh, I have been a faithless, wretched fool. In his writing room Sulla and he knelt down hi prayer. After the prayer he said, I am relieved, Sulla. I am fully assured that the Almighty God will show us the way I will see Titus tomorrow, and I am confident that he will get everything about Joan cleared up. That evening they didnt go out anywhere. After breakfast the next morning Cornelius went to see Titus. The road was full of people. Six ladies who consecrated themselves to the goddess Vestus held consecrated candle-torches in their hands and led a procession of hundreds of other ladies who wore transparent clothes. They were obviously less devoted to the goddess they were supposed to worship, than to their desire of being seen and coveted by men. They looked and smiled at Cornelius as he passed them by. Cornelius went on through the crowd towards the Emperors palace. He held the reins of his horse and walked as it was not possible to ride on it through the thick crowd. When he came to a bend of the road which was the most congested part, an old soldier who had served under him saw Cornelius. His name was Polio. Good morning Sir, said Polio. Shall we step aside just for a little while as I want to talk with you, if you can afford to delay a few minutes? So they went a little distance off the road. There was a small pathway which led to a meat market, and by the side of that path there was a house. There they stood together leaning against its wall. Sir said Polio, When I heard that you were going to Judea I prayed for you. In fact, hardly a day passed without mention being made of you in my prayers while you were away there. May God be praised that you have come back victorious.
Cornelius said, Polio, I am only too delighted that you prayed. Now that I have come back I would like to join you, too. Polio said, In the city of Rome we meet in the house Jason, a Greek physician, in the locality of Subburro. But now-a-days we mostly meet in Catacomb because Erasmus the disciple has come. Well, Sir, you may be surprised to know that our strength has increased considerably. What is the reason for this growth? Has something unusual or miraculous happened? asked Cornelius. , Polio was quiet for sometimes as some people passed by. After they passed them far enough he said, The reason for this growth, I think, may be attributed to the fact that Nero killed many Christians. God has answered Neros sinful deeds by redeeming more and more people. At that time I think you were in Bithynia. You see, there are now many secret Christians within the household of Caesar himself. Cornelius asked, Can you tell me the names of such Christians in the house of Caesar? Polio replied, But they are mostly servants of the low grade. Anyway, what do you want them for? Cornelius said, I am now going to Caesars palace. It may be a good thing to know each other if there should be any opportunity at all. Polio contemplated for sometime and said, The ones I want you to know first are Marcellus, and another new centurion, a young handsome man called Geminus. If you happen to meet them please let them know who and what you are. They will make arrangements for you to enter Caesars palace, too. Now let me tell you the funny side of Geminuss story. At a grand dinner thrown by Caesar just before you returned from Judea, the ladies vied with one another to touch him, and literally carried him between them, all because of his handsome looks, and heartily laughed. Cornelius said, I see, I will try to find them out. At what time do you meet together in Catacomb? Polio said, It is somewhat peaceful these days and we begin our meeting usually when the sun is at its zenith. At this time the soldiers do not go round on their duties. We shall be meeting together even today. Come and join us if you can afford to do so. While they were still talking they heard sounds of bells and gongs. Then there appeared a procession of the worshippers of the god Bachhu. They blew flutes and animal horns, and many of them waved tree leaves and shouted. It was hardly possible for Cornelius and Polio to hear each other now, and so they parted. When Cornelius reached Caesars palace, the guard on duty smartly saluted him an opened the gate for him. In the wide palace courtyard several slave ladies were busy preparing dried grape fruits for storage. Cornelius passed them by and came to the house of introduction. There sat a fair-looking lady dressed in the ionic cheton dress of the Greeks. Cornelius asked the lady if he could have an appointment with Titus. The lady said, He with Berenice has left this morning for the Fucine lake.
Cornelius asked when he was likely to return. The lady said, I do not know, I have heard that they may stay there for upwards of thirteen days. A young handsome officer entered then and interrupted their talk and said, Excuse me, Sir. I think I have heard your name. Are you Cornelius? Yes, that is my name. Are you Geminus? replied Cornelius. How do you know my name, Sir? asked Geminus, Cornelius simply showed him the emblem of fish on the inside of his bangle, without it being seen by the lady, and Geminus smiled for joy. They went out together and Cornelius asked if Marcellus was there. Geminus said, He was hereabouts a little while ago. Please wait, and let me go to find him. While Geminus had gone away to look for Marcellus, the lady of the house of introduction came out towards Cornelius and smiled at him as if he were her lover. She held his shoulders with her two hands and hang herself on him. But Cornelius pushed her off and stepped away from where he stood. In the meantime Geminus returned and reported. Marcellus is there, please come and see him. When they met Marcellus asked, Whats the matter, Cornelius? Do you want to see Titus? Well, he has left this morning for the Fucine lake, there to spend a secluded holiday with that woman called Berenice, his spouse or what I do not know. He has been bewitched so mad by that witty, divorced lady that she drags him about everywhere she wants to go, and laughed and made fun of Titus. Cornelius said, When I came the other day I requested Titus to talk to his father for me. I have come to ask him if he has seen his father. Marcellus, still looking at the slave girls working on the lawn said, I think I know what your request is. Is it not for the release of a Jewish prisoner girl? Cornelius answered, Yes, to be candid, that is true. I am in love with that Jewish girl. She was captured by me in Jerusalem. Titus knows everything, I asked him to request his father to have Joan released from Mamertine prison. I have come to hear what has so far been done about her. Marcellus said, Caesar has already ordered her release. He and his two sons were there, as well as Quintilian. Titus called me in and told me to make two orders in respect of Joan, a Jewish girl. One was for her release from Mamertine prison and the other was her freedom from slavery. On that very day I had the orders made out, an Caesar impressed his official stamp on them. Then I sent a soldier to Mamertine prison with the orders. She was to be released on that day. Indignantly spirited by what Marcellus told him. Cornelius said, I now understand it all. I have been put into this trouble by that hypocrite Marcus Ennius. To hell with that rascal. Whats the matter now that you have uttered the name of Marcus Ennius? asked Marcellus. Cornelius wanted Marcellus to know everything from start to finish. He said, Marcellus, your father was a Christian. When Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on the cross,
your father was the commander of the soldiers who crucified him, Im sure you know that very well. After Jesus died, lots were cast for his raiment, it was your father who got it. But the robe was no ordinary thing and it caused your father a strange trouble. And ultimately your father became convinced that it was into the side of Gods son that he thrust his sword, and became a Christian. You know all this, dont you? Softly Marcellus answered, I do, Cornelius. I am a Christian, too. Cornelius continued, Joan is the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, who took down the body of Jesus for burial from the cross. Marcellus was very amazed to hear this and said, Is that so? I have often heard of Joseph of Arimathea from my father. Cornelius said, During our campaign in Judea I found Joan rather mysteriously, and we fell in love with each other. Titus knows everything about us. And he, too, told me how he and Flora Pasiphae were in love but that he strayed into the trap of that irresistible divorced woman with whom he had lived together. I asked Titus to request his father on my behalf to release Joan after we came back to Rome. Just after Joan was put in Mamertine prison, Marcus Ennius, that prison officer, fell in love with her. He has since been very jealous of me. He even intended to submit a petition to Caesar to slander and malign me with a view to bringing the worst possible thing to me. One night she took Joan out of the prison cell with evil intentions. But unfortunately for him he was dead drunk that night and fell asleep. While he was unconscious Joan found the letter on the table and took it and sent it to me. In his letter he accused me of favouring the Jewish rebels and conspiring against Rome, all because I visited Joan in prison and he was jealous of me. He has been keeping a constant vigil on me. Looking for an opportunity to say that I was against Rome, and trying to twist every word I uttered to suit his evil purposes. Perhaps he has already submitted his letter to Caesar -1 do not know. Marcellus said, We have so far heard nothing on our side. Perhaps he will be sending it. Cornelius said, I sent Sulla, a soldier who is with me, to Mamertine prison yesterday to see Joan. But he could not find her there. He returned disappointed and angry and almost wept for fear that I would upbraid and chide him. Then I went to see Gall a to ask him where she was kept. But it was the festival day in honour of goddess Vesta, and the road was so fully crammed with people, I could not walk fast. Pushing through the crowd with much difficulty I reached Gallas house only to find that he had gone away on duty to Farentum prison. So, however disgusted I was to see him, I had to go and see Marcus Ennius. And Ennius pretended to be as polite and courteous as it was humanly possible, but I knew that all this to disguise the devil in him. When I asked him about Joan he said, Three days ago a soldier came with Caesars order and led her out. He showed to me Caesars letter. He said he had not the foggiest idea as to where she was taken. He argued that his responsibility was to see that the prisoners were securely kept there, and to let out those who were ordered to be released. So I returned disappointed. I have come today to get things cleared up from Titus. He told Marcellus all about his troubles.
Marcellus said, Be not dismayed, Cornelius. Let me look at the copies of the letters again, and, opened his file and read the copies which he kept there for record. There is one letter which orders her release from the prison. There is another letter which sets her free from slavery. And one of these letters is to be in Joans possession. Anyway, let the soldier I sent with the letters come here, he said. The soldier came in an saluted him Marcellus asked, The other day I sent you to Mamertine prison with orders for the release of Joan. Do you know what happened after the letters were delivered by you? No, Sir. Cornelius said, That prison officer says that you led Joan out and he doesnt know where you took her. The soldier said, Not at all, Sir. I gave the letters to him and I returned. After hearing this Cornelius was fully convinced as to what had taken place, and he said to Marcellus, I am sure that rascal took her out of the prison and is keeping her with him. He will regret that he has done it. He thanked Marcellus for his graciousness and said, Peace be with you, Marcellus, and went out again.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Cornelius was in a perplexed state of mind. He knew that such a prominent Roman family like the family of Ennius should be able to hide Joan away. He lay on his bed and was quietly contemplating. He had no close relatives to help him, for his only relatives were the Christians. The thought of olden days and how happy his family used to be put him in a strangely nostalgic mood. He recalled to mind the days when his elder brother and he went to school together, and the day when both of them became officers. Times had changed and the only ones he could count as his relatives, the secret Christians, were under constant fear of being discovered. There was no peace for them under the tyrannical rule of the Roman government. Thoughts of this kind made him miserable. But he drew comfort from the fact that two officers, Marcellus and Geminus, who were looking after Caesars palace were honest Christians. They were ordained of God to be there for him, he mused. While he was quietly recollecting memories of the past Sulla came in and said, Sir, I like to go to the meeting at Catacomb. Erasmus is going to speak at the meeting. But do you need me for anything else? Cornelius didnt reply to him immediately but was quiet for sometime and then said, I will go there, too. It is miserable to be all alone. I need something to relieve my tired mind of its burden. And got up from his bed. Sulla, I should think we better in our uniforms. Go and get ready, will you? he commanded. So both of them, dressed in their full uniforms, took their horse and rode towards Catacomb. They went out of the city towards and out-of-the-way place and, after a tedious though not so long a journey, reached the Catacomb. The Christians who had collected there were
affrighted by the sight of two men in uniform. Not many came from outside to attend the Catacomb meeting. They entered into the Catacomb which Cornelius had not seen for a fairly long time. But the place was familiar to him as it was there that the attended meetings while he was in Rome previously. They went deep down underground. All along the way the air was full of the smell of candle torches that were lit there. At last they came to a spacious hall which was accessible form different sides through small corridors. In the dim light of the burning torches they saw men, women and children sitting on the floor, looking weak, listless and worried. Cornelius could read fear in their faces when they saw him and Sulla in uniform, so he said, Fear not, brothers and sisters. We too are slaves of Christ the same as you are. The congregation responded by crying. My peace be on you, in a chorus. Erasmus came in before long. He held up his two hands in blessing and shouted, Peace be with you all. The meeting shouted, May He be most glorious. The greetings was followed by the singing of a hymn : Thou Christ the rock, our strong fortress, Shelter us all against the storm; Keep us secure under thy wings of protection. When we re in dark all day, all night; Shine forth thy light, from Thine own face, Bid the night pass and darkness flee. They sang the song pathetically and emotionally, and tears flowed freely down their cheeks. After the singing Erasmus prayed thus : Our father, God of gods and Lord of lords, Creator of heaven and earth, we call upon Thee from here where we gather in the bosom of earth. We are carrying on the sufferings of Thy Son Jesus Christ, being encircled by the dark forces at work on all sides. Hear this our prayer and grant that this abominable Roman Empire may be changed into the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not satisfied with the death of Thy Son on the cross, they are looking for more to crucify. We beseech Thee, Almighty God, to show Thy power to make this land a kingdom of Thine Son. Amen. In the flickering light of the torch Cornelius steadily looked at Erasmus. He saw peace and joy mingled in his eyes, and in his whole appearance boldness and determination. Cornelius felt comforted and inspired by the spectacle he beheld. But he unconsciously looked round as if he were expecting to find Joan among the congregation though he had not the slightest reason to find her there. At the end of the service, just before the congregation had dispersed, Cornelius went up to greet Erasmus. Erasmus said to him Unsheathe your sword, Cornelius, which Cornelius did. Erasmus, then said, I see that your sword bears a fresh stain of an unbelievers blood. That will be the last time your sword is even stained with blood. Henceforth you shall put away your Roman uniform and armour, and instead you shall equip yourself with the sword of salvation. On their way back form Catacomb Cornelius and Sulla met a company of Roman soldiers who were out on duty to search for Christians to arrest. They spoke to those men and
said, We have been combing this area from early this morning. There is no hope of finding anyone. The soldiers returned on hearing their report. When they reached home Solon said, Sir, Just after you had left a soldier came here to say that Marcellus and Geminus will be coming to see you tonight, and they want to you to stay at home. Cornelius asked, Where is Adonis? Solon replied, A few minutes after you ,had left, he said he was going to Mamertine Prison where he has a friend who is a slave of Ennius. His friend may not have heard of his new found freedom and he wants to tell him about it. Moreover, his friend may knew where Joan is. That is the reason why he has gone there. Just before sunset Adonis came back in a hurry and reported to Cornelius, Sir, Ennius has indeed hidden away my madam. My friend Merula, who is a slave of Ennius, said, My master took out a slave girl from Mamertine Prison. I followed him with my eyes as I was curious to know what he was going to do with her. He took her up to the uppermost storey of the prison house, into an unoccupied room there. Beyond that I could not know what he did with her. Well done, Adonis, said Cornelius and went into the room. He was not very long there and when he came out he called his men together and said to them, This is no time to keep any secret from you. We must be sure that our adversaries are surrounding us on all sides. Therefore, be ready at all times. A time will come, its sure to come, when Rome will find out who I, your master, really am. The night was fairly late now, and Marcellus and Geminus arrived when they were no longer expected. After they were seated Cornelius said, Marcellus, I have now learnt where Joan is. As I suspected, it has come to light that Ennisu had hidden her. Merula, who is a slave of Ennius told Adonis today that he saw Ennius leading Joan away. What shall we do now? Marcellus replied, If he took Joan away against her will, the law will take its own course against Ennius. Anyway, let that matter be discussed later. The reason why we have come to you is to let you know that Ennius has submitted a report against you to Caesar. You already know what his report says against you. If you cannot adequately express yourself against his accusations, the outcome of it may be very bad for you. Caesar is going to lay the foundation stone of the Temple of peace next month. It may be safely assumed that to celebrate the occasion, you shall be made an object of entertainment on that day. Or if you are found innocent and Ennius guilty, then Ennius will suffer that punishment. Since, however, Titus is very well disposed towards you, it is difficult to forecast how things will be decided in your case. In any case, you cannot avoid standing before Caesar for judgement. That is why we have come at a late hour of the night to tell you this secret. Cornelius was very angry when he heard what Ennius had done, but he tried not to show his anger before his friends. Moreover, he was prepared to meet Ennius anywhere, at any moment and in any situation. He said, I am indeed most grateful to you, Marcellus. I am happy that I am going to be given and opportunity to tell the truth. May God be praised! There
is one person who can be a witness to the truth, and that person is Joan. Her presence on that day will be necessary. Marcellus said, I cannot promise her presence at the court. But if Judge finds it necessary she will be there. Do not worry about that. Marcus Ennius may have hidden her away. But if Caesar orders her presence, he cannot object to it. It should be just and right if the truth can be revealed through Joan. Well, Cornelius, it is very late now and we must take leave of you. Cornelius thanked them for their thoughralness and said, Peace be with you. After they left Cornelius knelt in prayer. And everyday before the day of their appearance before the Court came, he locked himself inside his writing room, and spent most of his time in prayer. The day of judgement came, Both Cornelius and Ennius were brought to the big hall of the court under escort of two Praetorian officers each. The judges in their big black robes sat there on their seats. Cornelius and Ennius are made to stand, face to face, a fairly wide distance apart. Behind the seat of the Chief Judge, on a raised platform, sat Caesar and his family in shining dresses. The Chief Judge hit the table three times with a wooden hammer, and waved Ennius with his hand to speak. Ennius looked at the judges and then recited what he had already submitted against Cornellius, exactly in the order that he had written. But not once did he mention the name of Joan. After Ennius completed his speech, the Chief Judge asked Cornelius to begin his defence arguments. All the judges looked at him steadily without taking their eyes off even for a moment. Cornelius revealed everything, without omitting even a minor detail, from start to finish as he had already related to Marcellus and Titus. To conclude his speech he said that Ennius had decided to testify against him for one reason, that he, Ennuis had fallen in love with a Jewish prisoner in Mamertine, Joan by name, and therefore was jealous of him. This statement greatly startled the judges who opened their eyes wide in surprise. Now to settle the score between the opposing arguments, it was necessary for a witness to testify before the court, and that witness could only be Joan. When this was mentioned Ennius heavily frowned and objected by saying, I have told the truth. It is not at all necessary to call the Jewess as a witness. But Cornelius insisted that Joans statement should be heard, for that was an indisputable means of finding out who was right and who was wrong. To show his support to the argument of Cornelius, Titus held his right hand forward. And since no less a personage than the Emperors son did so, it was decided then and there to bring Joan to the court. Ennius was asked where he had hidden her and had to confess, however reluctant he might be, that she was in the Ameilli hall by the side of Mamertine gaol. Two soldiers were immediately despatched to fetch her. All eyes were on Joan as she entered the court, and she was made to stand in the middle of the ground facing the judges. On being asked to tell the court anything she wanted to say Joan declared. This is no place and occasion for keeping anything secret, I am a Jewess. My elder brother, Jonathan, is one of the rebel leaders under Eleazer in Fort Masada. The Roman soldiers captured any Jew they could lay their hands on, not only the Zealots, and so I was captured, too. My captor is Horatius Cornelius. He and I fell in love with each other. This statement was greeted by a hearty laughter.
Joan continued, When we arrived Rome and were put in Mamertine prison, the prison officer Marcus Ennius fell in love with me. But I was in love with Cornelius, and Ennius became intensely jealous of him. He even told me that he was intending to bring about his win one day. On masy occasions Ennius attempted to seduce me and make me sleep with him. Sometimes he took me out and threatened me, alleging that I broke the law of Rome. One night when he took me out again he was very drunk. He tried to force me to sleep with him. As 1 refused and resisted his attempts he was and in desperation he drank more win? He became dead drunk and fell asleep. While he was asleep I saw a letter which he left on the table. It was addressed to Caesar to slander and malign Cornelius in the worst possible terms. I took the letter and left him. He tried every means at his command to win my favour. Sometimes he used threats, and at other times he tried to please me by being courteous and humble. He came with gifts of garments and things he thought I might like to eat. All these things were repulsive to me and only increased my disgust to see him. That is the reason why he has done the worst he can to ruin the man I love. Cornelius is not a conspirator against Rome at all. But this I want to say - that naturally I used to be very anxious about my brother Jonathan who is, as I have said, a leader of the Zealots. I asked Cornelius to try to get news about him. And he in turn did his best and passed on to me any information he could get. This he did entirely for my sake and not because he is a conspirator against Rome. The reason why I stand before this honorable court today is, firstly that Marcus Ennius, the prison officer of Mamertine, wants me. Second, I have bluntly resisted and rejected his advances and attempts and third, he is jealous of the man I love. Ennius has resorted to blatant lies to destroy Cornelius, because he does not possess a particle of truth to do so, Joans speech was cheered with clappings and shouts. Caesar and his sons looked down from where they sat at Joan who was standing before the judges. Caesar pointing to Joan, asked Titus, Isnt that the Jewish girl whose release you asked me to grant the other day? Titus answered, Yes, she is, and she is not a very common girl. Caesar said, She is certainly beautiful. If she dressed like the Roman ladies do, she is bound to be known for her beauty all over the Empire. The Chief judge asked Joan a question, Do you really love Cornelius? Joan answered, Yes, my lord, I love him with all my heart. Then he turned to Cornelius and asked, Cornelius, do you love Joan? Cornelius replied, My Lord, of all the women in the world, I love only Joan. The judge said, You have been sued for being a Christian. You know that Christians are not very favoured in Rome. And you are a soldier of whom Rome is proud. Are you a Christian, as alleged by Ennius? Fearing that Cornelius would deny his faith, Joan secretly prayed.
Cornelius, without the slightest sign of fear or nervousness declared, My Lord, if to be a Christian is a sin, then I am a sinner, I plead guilty to the charge. As is well-known, my father was a Roman centurion. From my father down ours has been a devoted Christian family. All those in the courtroom were taken completely by surprise by the answer given by Cornelius, and many looked at Cornelius as if it occurred to them that Christian were not as obstructive and troublesome as they were always supposed to be. Was Cornelius not the pride of Rome? The Judge now looked at Ennius and asked, Ennius, are you in love with Joan? This question put him in a tight corner. He could not reply in the negative because Joan had already revealed everything. And he was loath to say yes under such circumstances, for it was too humiliating for him to do so. Yet he must either admit or deny. So at last, most reluctantly, he said, It is for the judges to make their own conclusions. The judges were of the opinion that the allegation of Ennius that Cornelius was a cinspirator was to be dismissed, as it was not supported by any witness. But Cornelius did not deny, but by his own statement admitted, that he was a Christian. Cornelius, therefore, deserved punishment. And Ennius made a false charge against Cornelius out of jealously. Besides, he took a prisoner out of gaol and hid her away and thereby broke the law of Rome. He therefore deserved punishment. It was therefore decided that: The case between Ennius and Cornelius originated from the fact that both are in love with a Jewish prisoner girl called Joan. Both are found guilty of an act against the state of Rome. It is decided, that Ennius and Cornelius shall fence one against another on the day the foundation stone of the Temple of peace shall be laid, and he who wins shall possess Joan. Both Ennius and Cornelius were put under surveillance of two officers each, and ordered not to leave their homes until the great day came. Joan was ordered to be under the protection of the Imperial Guards.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Neros palace of gold, domus aurea which he built for the sole purpose of enjoyment had been already demolished, and the place cleared of all rubbles, because the Temple of Peace was to be built on that very ground. Even before actual erection began, ten thousand slaves were working there daily collecting materials of all kinds. Simeon, one of the slaves one day said to his friend Ben Oholiaba, another slave, So they say two Roman officers, both of them the pride of Rome, are going to fence against each other to decide who is to own a Jewish prisoner girls called Joan. What an entertainment it is going to be! Id like to be there and see them fight. Ben Oholiaba said, Why shouldnt we be allowed to see the fight, though we are slaves? It is going to be a big day for the Romans and so I thought theyll be generous and allow us to go there.
Simon said, I dont think so. They wont allow us to see the fight. They will surely sent us away to work somewhere else. After all, the fight is to decide ownership of a Jewish girl and so they wont allow any of us Jews to be there. Oholiaba said, What the hell does it matter if they dont allow us to see the fight? I dont care a damn if I see it or I dont see it. We have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, I am glad enough that Rome is in trouble because of a Jewish girl, I dont care if both of them die in the fight. Let it serve them right. A guard was coming towards them and they stopped talking lest he should overhear what they said. After he passed them by Simon said, Even if we do not see the fight, Id like to see the girl, to see how really beautiful she is that even the court of Caesar takes so much trouble because of her. Ben Ohaliaba said, She may be beautiful, or she may not so beautiful. The crux of the matter is that these Roman peoples first passion is women. Even the previous Emperors were thrown out of power, or otherwise humiliated or killed because of women. The present woman, in so far as we are concerned, is perhaps different in the sense that she is of our race and we are proud of her. Otherwise the very word Rome is another word for Womanizing, and they laughed heartily. The site on which the Temple of Peace was to be erected having been cleared of all rubbles, they were now busy preparing the laying of the foundation stone. That day was to be celebrated with the greatest possible pomp and show of power. Heralds were sent out to all the streets and corners of the city every now and then to announce that all people should come on that day. They also announced that Ennius and Cornelius were to fight on that day. All the provincial Governors and Procurators, and all the generals of the Army were also invited to come. To entertain the spectators on that day dancers from several countries were to come. Egyptian and Spanish bull-fighters were to show their powers, and a chariot be the sword fight between Cornelius and Ennius. The people at large were more interested in the sword fight than in any other item of entertainment. High ranking military and civilian officers and noblemen were making bets with great amounts of money. Marcellus and Geminus, too, wanted to make a bet between themselves. But since both of them chose Cornelius, they decided who would bet in favour of whom by casting a lot. Titus and Berenice, too, did the same between them, and the one who got the bet money was to give the amount as a prize to the winner of the fight. Berenice chose Ennius, and Titus Cornelius, and the amounts of money were separately deposited. Cornelius and Ennius might not be known far and wide for their skills at handling the sword, but those who knew them well found it difficult to say who was more likely to win, for both of them were superb at it. Many were inclined to think that Ennius, with the more than adequate rest that he had, would be physically stronger and more enduring. And since he belonged to a well-to-do Roman family, more people chose to bet in his favour. On the other hand Cornelius had been working hard day and night in the war from which he had recently returned. He was definitely a tired man and he was less known among the masses. Those who chose to bet in his favour were comparatively very few. But those officers who had seen Cornelius in the act of fencing were confident that he would surely win. From the day it was
announced that they were to fight, both of them had the best possible training and exercise to make themselves fit for the event. Cornelius did not intend to fight for his life. He intended to fight for Christian victory, for the glory of God, so he committed himself to Him. At last the appointed day came, and all roads led to Circus Maximus from dawnbreak. After breakfast Vespasianus, carried by big black Nidumean slaves in a decorated carriage, left his palace. The crowds made way for him, all along the route. When he was approaching Circus Maximus trumpets were blown as loud as possible. The vast sea of human beings crooked and curved and bent and surged like waves. The Caesar stood and announced that the Temple was being built to commemorate their victory over the rebellious Jews, and uncovered the stone which was brought from Jerusalem, and wrapped in a cloth woven with gold threads. The great throng clapped and shouted joyously to greet the ceremony. That was, then, how the foundation stone of the Temple of Peace was formally laid. The entertainments then began. The man who was dressed like the god Janus, having two faces, hit the big door with his hammer and it swang open, and out come the participants on to the wide arena. The several items of entertainment followed one after another in quick succession. But the one show in which the crowds were most interested was to be displayed last of all. It looked as if all the world were in Circus Maximus on that day to witness the fight. And since all living souls came there, the city proper was all quiet. Titus and his wife Berenice were over-excited, and turned round and adjusted their postures several times too often. Marcellus and Geminus were seated side by side along the line of Caesar. Both were secretly trembling inside fearing that Cornelius would lose the game. A trumpet was blown and the whole arena at once became quiet and still. The doorman hit the door again and out came an exceedingly beautiful young lady dressed in the habit of the Greek goddess of wine called Dionysus. All eyes were or Joan and, to catch a clearer glimpse of her the crowds stirred like bees in a hive. She was made to stand on a raised platform in a corner of the field. After this the doorman hit one door and then another, which faced each other across the arena, Marcus Ennius came out from one of the doors and Horatius Cornelius, from the other, each carrying his sword in the sheath. An animals horn was blown from somewhere and just then the sizzling sound of swords being drawn out cut through the air. Each was now walking towards the other in the middle of the arena where the crowds could get a good view of them. Joan was sweating profusely owing to her fear that Cornelius would lose the game. The contestants now came close enough to each other. Swords began to dazzle and cross in the air. Enniuss sword passed very close to Cornelius shoulder but the latter cleverly skipped off just in time. Just as he did so turned around quick as a lightning and dealt a hard blow on Enniuss sword which flew off like a splinter. At that moment Geminus said, Look, Marcellus. And Titus said to his wife Berenice, A real lover never loses. Cornelius, taking advantage of the situation, could dispatch him then and there, but he said, Ennius, pick up your sword, quick - before I count three - now one, two...And Ennius slowly and hesitatingly picked up his sword. Are you ready again now, Ennius? said Cornelius as he charged him again. At that very moment he heard the scream of a woman and cast a swift glance at Joan, and he saw
Ennius charging back at him. Enniuss sword almost shaved the left side of his head but he managed to bent in time. The next wave of Corneliuss sword caused a deep gaping wound on the right fist of Ennius which held his sword. Many spectators tried to encourage Ennius by shouting, Dont fear that traitor, Ennius. Charge him and kill him. Dont spare the life of that conspirator. Stab him. Kill him. Ennius was now quite ferocious and fought with all his strength. He suddenly jumped upon Cornelius who skipped aside. Just when Ennius was about to raise his sword to attack him again. Cornelius crossed Enniuss sword with his, and in that position both of them tried to break each others hold with all the strength in them for a fairly long time. The handle of Enniuss sword was now slippery with blood. Cornelius suddenly twisted his sword and once again Enniuss sword flew off. Cornelius picked up Enniuss sword with the point of his own sword, and threw it before him saying, The second time. Ennius stood still for some moments and Cornelius said, Ennius, are you going to fight me again or are you going to surrender to me? If you mean to fight again, pick up your sword. And if you still love your life, this is your only chance to beg my mercy. The crowd was as silent itself. Cornelius, from the corner of his eye, could see Joan holding her hands up in prayer. Ennius picked up his sword and suddenly charged at Cornelius again and inflicted a scratch on his neck which bled a little. Cornelius skipped off and with a speed faster than sound charged at Ennius, whose sword fell to the ground, and pierced his sword through his right arm. Marcellus whispered to Geminus, Look, we are winning. Geminus replied, What about the five thousand denari? To Marcellus and Geminus the fight was not so much over ownership of Joan as it was a fight in the name of Jesus of Nazareth against the pagan gods of Rome. So both of them supported Cornelius heart and soul. They made the bet between them just for appearance. Marcellus only pretended to support Ennius. Cornelius said to Ennius, Ennius, the door of mercy which I opened for has to be closed now, so dont blame me, and thrust his sword just at the pit of Enniuss stomach. Ennius writhed and curled in pain on the ground, and just before he died he raise his head again to say, Cornelius, you have won in this dammed world in which the demon-possessed go well with their fortunes. Cornelius replied, My sword has killed only known culprits and liars, and no one else. You were my friend, Ennius, or so you pretended to be. So let me shake hands with you before you reach hell, and held the dying mans hand and shook it for the last time. The many well-wishers of Cornelius among the officers and the crowd, so jubilant over their mans victory, were in a state of restlessness and stood, and sat, shouted and screamed, and whistled, and waved their hands, while Cornelius was still standing over the dead body of Ennius. Titus himself jumped up from his seat and went down to the ground and shouted at the top of his voice saying, Cornelius, conqueror of Judea, you have this day fought the battle between right and wrong. Your victory is a triumph of truth over falsehood. I give you a reward of five thousand denarii, and handed over to him the money forfeited by his wife Berenice in a bet between them.
The body of Ennius was respectfully removed by soldiers. Caesar ordered that Marcus Ennius should be accorded what was due to a hero, and his mortal remains laid to rest with full military honours. After the body of Ennius was taken away the wide door of the court was opened. Dio Balbus, the Chief Judge who presided over the trial of Cornelius-vs-Ennius, came out on to the open in his variegated robe. He climbed up to the platform on which Joan stood and in a loud voice proclaimed: Emperor and god Caesar, citizens of Rome. We have this day witnessed a spectacle the like of which has never happened in Roman history. As has been wisely decided by the honourable court of the Empire, I declare that Cornelius is the conqueror, and held up the right hand of Cornelius. The judgement was greeted with a thunderous applause from the crowd. The judge then said in a loud voice : As promised by the justice-loving council of Rome, I am now handing over Joan, the Jewish girl who is now standing by me, to Cornelius. Just then the multitudes rose from their seat in their eagerness to see more clearly the two lovers being united. Cornelius took Joans hand and in the sight of the numberless Roman crowds held her in a fond embrace and kissed her affectionately. Then both of them bowed to greet the Emperor, and Cornelius in a loud voice said, Our Emperor, Caesar, may the days of your life be prolonged, and may your throne be established forever. Glory be to Rome. Sulla overheard gossips and murmurs among the crowd. We are numerous enough who support Ennius. Cornelius and Joan will not live in peace, and things like that were being said. After the ceremonies ended the Emperor had left the place, and the crowds were dispersing. Sulla came to Marcellus in a hurry and reported. Sir, some people who loved and supported Ennius are very angry with Cornelius, and they may attempt to take revenge for the sake of Ennius. So Cornelius and Joan will need protection. Who are you? asked Marcellus. Sulla said, I am Sulla, a soldier who is attached to Horatius Cornelius. Marcellus said, From tonight they will be provided with guards. But do not disclose this to anyone.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Dr. Jason, a Greek physician who lived in the slum area called Suburra and his guest Aristarcus, a disciple, had arrived to solemnize the wedding of Cornelius and Joan. Corneliuss house was renovated and beautified as best as it could be done. Sulla said to Cornelius, Sir, when my Madam comes and sees what has been done to welcome her, she will be very pleased, wont she?
Certainly, Sulla, you have done a real job of work, much better than I thought you could do. Im sure that she will be pleased. But Sulla, I should say that all these beautiful things cannot even faintly compare with her, said Cornelius. Sulla said. Well, Sir, you have said the absolutely right thing. My Madam is so beautiful that there is no one in Rome to match her even remotely. She is beyond compare. Cornelius said. You seem to know how to make me happy by speaking so well of your Madam. Well, they will not be very long to arrive now. Will you go to meet them on the way? Joan, who had been under the protection of Palace guards was now coming in a chariot with three bodyguards and accompanied by Marcellus and Geminus. And the Chariot came into no other than the house of Cornelius. When she saw everything about the house she exclaimed, How nicely arranged! And in a soft voice she whispered to Cornelius, Jesus Christ our Lord has in His appointed time bestowed upon us peace and joy and beauty according to our needs. The wedding was performed in a simple ceremony in the presence of a few friends. The ceremony was followed by a diner. It was the first meal which Cornelius and Joan ate together as man and wife, and it was the most delicious food they had ever eaten in their lives. Cornelius and Sulla then wrote their letters of resignation from the Army, to be carried back by Marcellus and Geminus. When at last the two friends were to return. Cornelius and Joan went up to the gate to see them off. Marcellus said, Cornelius, if you leave the army, it shall not be possible to provide you guards, and you will be living in danger. Cornelius replied, I am only too grateful to you for providing me with guards. But I find my real safety and peace in Jesus of Nazareth. I fear nothing because I believe He will always be with me and protect me. He who saved my life from the most dangerous enemies will not allow me to die like a stray dog. We are at peace now, not because we are guarded by armed soldiers, nor because we are assured of Caesars favour, but because we live under the protection of the Lord of life. We are indeed grateful to you, Marcellus and Geminus. And please remember us to Titus and say for us, As long as we live we shall ever remember all the kindness he has shown to us. And that I and Joan have become man and wife, and we are happy. Marcellus, Geminus. We shall ever remember you in our prayer. We shall be continuously asking for Gods grace to uphold you in your fight, and that you may continue as good and worthy soldiers. But we all shall need to be always very careful until and unless our nation knows who Jesus of Nazareth is. Good bye, God be with you till we meet again. They shook hands and the two friends departed. In that night Joan and Cornelius recollected memories of the past, those hard times that they passed either alone or together, and spoke of them happily as if they were fairly tales. Joan said, I think I now see clearly the paths God intended for us to tread, I wonder if you remember one of your visits to me in Mamertine prison when, just before you returned you said, Well meet again in freedom. Cornelius thought for a moment and said, Yes, you have reminded me of it and now I know I did say that.
Joan said, You said that wed meet again, not in Mamertine Prison but in freedom. Perhaps at that time you didnt foresee things to come clearly as we see now when we look back. You might not know how things and events would come to pass. But now we know how prophetic were those words that you spoke. On the day you stood before Caesars court and I was called to be a witness, we stood at the frontier of the land of freedom. We reached the land proper on that day you and Ennius fought on tha arena of Circus Maximus, for from that day you and I have become free. Cornelius said, You have told an interesting truth. I am also recollecting memories of many events in my mind. For instance, just before she died my mother told me that there was a very dark time ahead of me, but I would be able to pass through that darkness if I had Jesus with me. And I have passed through that period of darkness in Circus Maximus triumphantly because Jesus of Nazareth was with me. How gracious God has been to us. Another instance also presents itself to me vividly. One day Sulla and I went to a meeting in Catacomb. After the service I met the preacher Erasmus, who asked me to unsheathe my sword. He looked at it and said that he saw it freshly stained with an unbelievers blood. He said also that would be the last time my sword was ever stained with blood. He predicted that I would put away my uniform and armour and take up the sword of Salvation. That prophecy, too, has already been fulfilled. That sword was stained with the blood of Ennius, a non-believer, in Circus Maximus. And following fast upon that shedding of blood I have this day resigned as a soldier and put my sword away. My beloved, you and I shall never be able to repay God for all the power and glory He has granted to protect us. He has led us out of the land of agony into the land of peace. He has redeemed us from bondage, and saved us from sufferings and disasters. He has not only protected us against inevitable ruin, but made us conquerers. He has clothed us with the robe of grace and glory, and revealed the truth unto us. When I think of all these things I am more than convinced that He, in His wisdom, had allowed us to suffer for a while in order that we might reflect His glory in our lives. Then he lovingly held his wife in a tight embrace. Even though Cornelius and Joan had now been married and all obstacles that stood between them removed, they couldnt find real joy and satisfaction in the city of Rome. The sight of numberless slaves being mercilessly tortured day after day, and of sacrifices of animal blood being continuously offered to the pagan gods, were too repulsive to their eyes. The noblemen of Rome indulging in fleshly pleasures day and night, and the crowds enjoying the spectacle of slaves and convicts fighting each other to death in Circus Maximus, were all too disgusting. Their intense desire was to leave Rome and find a home somewhere else, far away from the din and noise of that abominable city. But their dream of finding a more peaceful place could not be realized as soon as they wished, and so they prayed together for divine light and guidance day and night for a new home. One night after they had offered their prayers, Joan said, I think I have received a light. It has been revealed to me that God had chosen a place for us as long as five years ago. Cornelius said, Tell me which and where is that place, my dearest. We must go to any place if God wills it for us, even to the most miserable place. Any place on earth will be heaven with you. I am ready to go anywhere God wants us to go.
Joan said, At the beginning of the hostilities in Judea, and I think you were in Bithynia then, my brother left home to fight for our country and nation. I was at home all alone. One night in my loneliness I took out some of my fathers writings and read them. My loneliness gradually increased in its intensity until it became too hard to bear, and I prayed. When I was praying I heard a clear voice saying to me. Joan, I am going before you to Chittim. No worry or agony will overtake you then. The river Tiber will wash you out on the shore of salvation, and you shall sing happily in the island of peace. I did not understand the meaning of what the voice said at that time. When we reached Rome from the river Tiber, it occurred to me that this might be a fulfillment of that prophecy. But the events which followed our arrival in Rome dispelled it all again. But this time I am fully convinced that the prophecy has come to pass. So if we are to leave Rome, it is to Chittim that we must go. Cornelius said, I agree with you. Chittim is my favorite place also, and I have a friend there called Appolonius. He is a good Greek Christian and a citizen of Rome. And the revelation you have received convinces me that it is there where we must go. However, before we are ready to move, Sulla must go there with my letter to Appolonius. And Sulla was off to Chittim the next morning. One night Cornelius expressed his desire to visit Circus Maximus once more and offer prayers of thanksgiving there. It was there that God crowned me with victory, and it was there that you were handed over to me. What do you think of going there tonight? Joan said, I like the idea of going there to pray. I myself owe a great debt of thanksgiving to offer to God. That place of suffering and death for countless men and women is a place where happiness began to flower in our lives as a result of your victory. Let us go. So they went by a horse-drawn cart to Circus Maximus. .The streets were already deserted by most people as it was late, and in Circus Maximus itself silence reigned supreme. Joan and Cornelius offered prayers first on the spot where the platform stood from which Joan was handed over to Cornelius. Then they climbed up to the place where Caesar used to sit. As soon as they reached there Cornelius shouted in joy. He was so full of happiness that he could hardly speak, and almost trembled. He called his wife and said, Look here, Joan, my beloved. The stone they brought from Jerusalem is here. How amazing and wonderful it is. Look, Joan, the light appears there again, Joan looked at the stone and saw two footprints shining bright on the stone, and she spread her arms sideways and shouted, GLORY BE TO GOD. It so happened that the stone was brought from the porch of Fort Antonio called GABBATHA. They knelt by the stone and prayed again. After offering their prayers Joan said, My beloved Cornelius, I think I see the mysterious ways of God in a clearer light now. And I see yet another period of dark time and terrible things to happen again, though these need not be dreaded by us. Of all the stones in Jerusalem and its neighbourhood, why did they take the one from GABBATHA upon which Jesus of Nazareth stood when he faced trial by the Roman procurator Pilate? And it is upon that foundation stone that the so-called Temple of Peace is to be erected. The reason is that the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth will be enacted again in the temple. I mean the followers of Jesus Christ, the Christians, will suffer their last sufferings and afflictions in the temple for being witnesses of the death and resurrection of the Son of God. That must be the reason why
God let them take just the stone upon which His Son stood when He was condemned to die. Joan groaned and in agony cried, Oh, how cruel are these sufferings! A month or so had passed when Sulla returned from Chittim. Cornelius decided, albeit with a heavy heart, to dispose of the house which had been his home ever since he was born, the home in which he enjoyed his childhood days with his parents. However much he disliked the idea of selling it, he was helpless for he and Joan were determined to leave Rome for good. He said to Joan, Let us not worry about it, my dearest Joan. You left your home in Jerusalem to become a slave. I am leaving my home to find a better one. We two shall be living in a new home which we will build with the help of Jesus of Nazareth. Along with Sulla, Solon and Adonis, they boarded the Greek ship Olympus and sailed down the river Tiber towards Ostia. Cornelius recollected in his memory the day he arrived at the Ostian harbour as a conqueror from Judea, and the thousands of people who accorded him a heros welcome in that port. There was no-one to meet them this time. But then, he thought, on the previous occasion Joan came into Ostia and Rome as a slave, with a heart full of worries and an uncertain future. This time she was leaving Rome a free person and reaching Ostia with him as her husband, and with the grace of Jesus Christ overflowing her heart. There was no grandeur or pomp attached to their arrival in Ostia this time, but it was accompanied by peace and happiness in full measure. Corneliuss thought went back to the days of long ago. One day they halted for a rest in Ostia on their way to Judea. They were going there to quell the Jewish rebellion. At that time he did not even faintly foresee what the future held in store for him. This time too, they halted for a rest at Ostia but en route to a different place and for a different kind of life, a life of peace. After a days halt the Olympus was to set sail again for Chittim, now known as Cyprus island. It was a sunny day, and not a speak of cloud was to be seen in the sky. Joan and Cornelius stood on the porch of the ship and looked towards the shore. The ship became astir and began sailing towards the east upon the vast Etrusean sea. The harbour city of Ostia, and indeed the whole Italian peninsula, appeared smaller and smaller, until Caesar and his glories and powers vanished out their sight with them. Rome was a city of contrasts. It was a city of pleasure lovers and a city of oppressions. It was a city of lights and glories and a city of darkness and the most abominable things. It was a city of conspiracies and fights and murders as well as a city of pleasures and merriments. Cornelius himself was made to fight to entertain the pleasure-hungry Roman multitudes. In spite of all that it was, Joan and Cornelius cast their last glances at the land with nostalgic thoughts in their minds. In a few moments the port city of Ostia and the land of Italy were out of sight. Cornelius held his wife against him in a fond embrace and planted a long, fond kiss on her red lips, and eagerly looking forward to disembarking for Chittim, they entered into the ship.
~~~~~~~

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