His gaze rose again to Caesar’s, searching for an anchor in the emperor’s polished stare.
-
His gaze rose again to Caesar’s, searching for an anchor in the emperor’s polished stare.
-
“And so I find myself at the crossroad you lay before me. If I crush him, I risk birthing a martyr, as you say. If I spare him,-
“And so I find myself at the crossroad you lay before me. If I crush him, I risk birthing a martyr, as you say. If I spare him,-
Pilate’s hands, clasped together, betrayed the faintest tremor. “That kingdom, however intangible, strikes fear into-
Pilate’s hands, clasped together, betrayed the faintest tremor. “That kingdom, however intangible, strikes fear into-
He leaned closer, eyes narrowing slightly.
“So I ask you, Caesar—how does one measure the threat of a man who commands not an army,
He leaned closer, eyes narrowing slightly.
“So I ask you, Caesar—how does one measure the threat of a man who commands not an army,
Pilate’s fingers drummed once against the bench, betraying his agitation.
Pilate’s fingers drummed once against the bench, betraying his agitation.
He looked up, measuring Caesar’s expression.
“That land is a tinderbox. You know as well as I do that religion and rebellion are a single coin there. I must decide—
He looked up, measuring Caesar’s expression.
“That land is a tinderbox. You know as well as I do that religion and rebellion are a single coin there. I must decide—
“My lord,” he began, voice low so that only Caesar’s ears might catch it above the murmuring senators, “there is a man in Judaea—Yeshua, some call him the Nazarene. His presence draws crowds like moths to flame.-
“My lord,” he began, voice low so that only Caesar’s ears might catch it above the murmuring senators, “there is a man in Judaea—Yeshua, some call him the Nazarene. His presence draws crowds like moths to flame.-
He let his gaze linger on Samson, his jaw tightening. “You lost your love to Rome’s cruelty. And I—” he stopped, lips pressing thin, “—I have lost
He let his gaze linger on Samson, his jaw tightening. “You lost your love to Rome’s cruelty. And I—” he stopped, lips pressing thin, “—I have lost
“Every choice I make—life, death, mercy, cruelty—is watched, judged, weighed.
“Every choice I make—life, death, mercy, cruelty—is watched, judged, weighed.
Pilate let the words hang, his eyes never leaving Samson’s, curious to see whether defiance or curiosity would rise first in the prisoner’s face.
Pilate let the words hang, his eyes never leaving Samson’s, curious to see whether defiance or curiosity would rise first in the prisoner’s face.
“I imagine,” Pilate said slowly, voice calm but edged with iron, “that your tongue is one of the few freedoms left to you. And you wield it recklessly.”
“I imagine,” Pilate said slowly, voice calm but edged with iron, “that your tongue is one of the few freedoms left to you. And you wield it recklessly.”
If
If
He let the words hang for a breath, then added more softly, almost to himself: “Perhaps the man will condemn himself—or save himself—with his own tongue.”
He let the words hang for a breath, then added more softly, almost to himself: “Perhaps the man will condemn himself—or save himself—with his own tongue.”