company, who asked me whether any difference was to be noted in the demeanour of Pilate toward the Greeks and Jews. I told him I had noticed none; or, if any, that his manner was even more gracious toward those of the Jews who were near him than to any others, and what was more, perhaps, that at the side of Procla sat the wife of Sylleus. "There is no good designed," said Simon, " in any quarter, when Pilate smiles; least of all, to us. Would that his wife Her smiles, and they reigned here in Judea instead of him. are many, are of the heart. Were her counsels followed, there were no uncertain prospect of days of peace in Judea. She is full of humanity, as he of cruelty. Toward our people she has ever shown herself prompt to do them favours, and atone, as she might, for the slights and affronts of her husband and other lordly Romans. The Lord be nigh unto her in the hour of her necessity! "Often has she been known," said Anna, "to interpose betwee the judgment of Pilate and his victim,- believed by her to be unjustly condemned, and snatch him from the death that threatened; and sometimes has she herself in the silence of night set open the prison door, and unlocked the chain, and set the prisoner free, trusting to Pilate's love of her, all Cæsarea knows how fond it is,to overlook the offence. Her heart is full of pity, and even the Jew is not shut out." "He is not," said Simon; "to-day at the Synagogue and in the Market it passed from mouth to mouth, that Procla was on our part, and that to the wife of Sylleus she had declared as much, and had said moreover, that whatever it lay within her power to do, that would she do gladly for the furtherance of our desires. The peace with which this day has passed gives hope that justice and milder counsels will prevail." "It is," said Philip, "the treacherous calm that precedes the tempest; the smoothness of the stream before it shoots the precipice; the stillness that comes before the lightning; the quiet speech of Joab when he smote Abner under the fifth rib. Look not for peace till the yoke of slavery shall have been fastened upon the neck of every man who dares to stand up and call himself a Jew. Procla's intercession may buy the life of a malefactor, or save a thief from the stocks, but at a time like this her smiles would scarce avail to change the mind of Pilate. His love of money and his dread of Cæsar are stronger both, than his love of Procla. "Tis rumoured that the Greeks more than make good the bribe of Sylleus." "Still," said Simon, " I will hope the best. If to-morrow shall also go over, and our temple still keep its place, I will believe that the Lord hath turned the heart of our enemy. For it is Pilate's wont not to delay what he purposes." I could not help saying here, what I did not doubt was the truth, that it was not to be questioned that Pilate would carry into effect his purpose sooner or later; he might not do it to-morrow or the day after, but as there was no power to prevent him, and there was a strong motive for him to do the Greeks this favour, he would neither pause nor hesitate in the work before him. This was, as I learned at the Amphitheatre, the opinion of all who were most capable of judging, who knew Pilate well, and were interested in the event neither one way nor another. And I added, that I could not but hope, that, whatever iniquity there might be in the measure, it would not be resisted, but that afterward, since it could not be done before, an appeal would be made to Cæsar. However, all I could say was of little weight with any, except perhaps with Simon, who judges now more calmly in the matter than at first. As for Philip, he declared if all deserted him, as most seem likely to do, he would fall alone under the axes and engines, ere he would live to witness the impious wrong. Anna was of the same mind. Ceasing then to converse upon themes which were sure to agitate all who engaged in them, we walked forth into the garden and spoke of other things, and lingered till a late hour among its avenues and shades. It was not till the sounds in the neighbouring streets had died away, and the confused murmur that came up from the vicinity of the Amphitheatre, where idle revellers and the more dissolute youth of the city pass both day and night, had at length grown so faint as scarcely to be heard, that we were warned to our rest. The second day of the games has come and gone in like manner as the first. But there are, as it seems to me, many indications that another will not pass so quietly. At the Circus the affair of the Synagogue in all the intervals of the games was, as it were, the sole topic of discourse. Some, both of Greeks and Jews, espousing one side and some another; for many of the Greeks are generous enough to condemn the measures which have been urged upon Pilate, and many of the Jews, on the other hand, are base enough, through subserviency to the Roman power, to defend him, and throw blame upon the churlishness, as they term it, of the zealous, who will listen to no propositions of surrender. Zeno, who, with his troublesome partiality for my conversation, was not long in perceiving in what part of the Theatre I had placed myself, soon joined "that he might enliven," as he was pleased to say, "by his presence and discourse, the solitude in which I seemed to be pining." I asked him how, in his judgment, stood the affair of the Jews; for however this man may render himself both tedious and absurd, by the perseverance of his friendship, and the manner of his talk, it still is universally admitted in Cæsarea, that no other individual is during any one day in so many different places, sees so many persons, hears so much news, and heaps together so many facts; so that to no other source of information could I apply with so great a certainty of obtaining the knowledge for which I sought. He was very positive in his belief, in reply to my inquiries, that Pilate held to his original purpose, and that nothing now could turn him from it; that the second hearing of the Jews had done them more harm than good; that me, Philip had enraged him, and that he would now in spite of appearances soon take his revenge. I told him that I thought Lycias had said more to offend than Philip. This he admitted; but replied that it was for Pilate's interest, nay, it was necessary for him to overlook that; and besides he attributed the whole disturbance, into which Cæsarea had been thrown, to what he calls the superstitious obstinacy of the Jews. "To-morrow is your Sabbath, and to-morrow will the measure be carried into effect," said Zeno; "I doubt this no more than that Pilate sits there before us toying with Procla's bracelets, and now turns his dark brows to watch the last agonies of that dying gladiator. He reckons much upon the Herodians — which, some say, but for mysterious reasons which I do not understand, is a false reliance-and the divisions among you; and is persuaded that there will now be but faint opposition, and that on the part only of a few madmen like Philip." Philip throughout this day had been engaged in secret movements with his party. It is their purpose to post themselves in the immediate neighbourhood of the Synagogue, concealed in the dwellings of the Jews which are nearest. Many of these are inhabited by Roman Jews, who would not admit Philip, nor any of his adherents. But an equal or a greater number are in the possession of those who are united with him. These buildings are separated from the walls of the Synagogue by very broad streets, and almost surround it, and afford a ready and secure place of concealment, while awaiting the decision of Pilate, and of retreat, if either their own desperate zeal, or the Roman sword, should spare them for such an act. There can be little question but that to-morrow will behold the destruction of the Synagogue. Although no public order has been given, and the people will be tempted to the Theatre by unusual spectacles; yet those who know the manner in which Pilate conducts such affairs are well persuaded of it. Lest, my mother, the events of another day should not allow me |