By pulling at Tigellinus’ arm, I managed to get him to listen to me. “He’s the leader of the Christians,” I explained, “the famous Cephas.
He’s supposed to have raised people from the dead and performed miracles which make Simon the magician .in his time seem like a beginner by comparison. He’s been under Senator Pudens’ protection ever since he cured the senator’s illness.”
Tigellinus stuck out two fingers like horns to ward off the evil spirits. “He is a Jew,” he said firmly. “I’ll have nothing to do with him. Tell him to cease his sorcery and go away and take his magic stave with him. Otherwise I’ll be angry.”
Senator Pudens had by this time calmed down.
“The much respected Cephas,” he said, “has himself come to answer for all the accusations you have invented against the Christians. He asks that you release the others and take him instead. He is their shepherd. All the others, from the smallest to the greatest, are but his sheep.”
Tigellinus started back against the wall, his brown face turning pale and his lips trembling.
“Take him away,” he said uncertainly, “before I have him whipped. Tell him it would be best if he left the city altogether. On the Emperor’s orders, I am investigating the Christian conspiracy to destroy Rome. Fire-raisers have already confessed, but I must admit that many respectable Christians perhaps did not know about this terrible plan. Perhaps that old magician with his unpleasant stave did not know either.”
Pudens listened with his mouth open and the loose skin around his chin quivering. Then he shook his head.
“Everyone knows,” he said reproachfully, “that it was the Emperor himself who set fire to Rome to get the sites between Coelius and Esquiline for his mad building plans. But Nero is greatly mistaken if he thinks he can put the blame on innocent people. May he guard against the anger of the people if this becomes known.”
Tigellinus looked around in fear that the walls might be listening. “You’re an old man, Pudens,” he then said warningly. “Your head is confused. Don’t even let such gossip pass your lips in jest. Or are you a Christian yourself and involved in it all through your muddleheaded-ness? Be careful. Your name is on the lists, though naturally I don’t put much store by such accusations. A member of the Senate can’t be a Christian.”
He tried to laugh but stared steadily at Cephas, starting every time Cephas made a movement. Pudens remembered his rank and position and realized he had gone too far.
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“Well, perhaps there are fanatics and zealots among the Christians,” he said, “and even false prophets too. Perhaps a wolf has managed to get among them in sheep’s clothing. But Cephas will answer for them all at the public trial. I only hope he doesn’t, at the behest of the spirit, speak words which frighten Nero himself.”
Tigellinus also calmed down a little.
“I bear you no ill-will,” he said. “I’m always ready to meet people half way. But your Jewish magician cannot answer for others in this case. He has the same rights and special position as all the other cursed Jews. Nero has expressly forbidden me to drag the Jews into this, for not even Hercules himself would be able to tell the faithful Jews from the heretics in their Aegean stables. I think Rome would be a considerably better city without the Jews. But that is just my personal opinion and is neither here nor there. I must obey the Emperor.”
I briefly explained Tigellinus’ legal view to Cletus and he translated it for Cephas, whose face again began to turn red. At first Cephas tried to talk in a controlled manner but then he became so excited that he started thundering out his words. Cletus tried to interpret and I too intervened with my views and Pudens spoke according to his own lights, so that at one time we were all talking at once and no one could make out what the other was trying to say.
Finally Tigellinus raised both hands, as if fending us off, and demantled silence.
“Enough,” he said. “Out of respect for your white hairs, Pudens, and to win the favors of this powerful magician, I am willing to release ten or twenty, or shall we say a hundred Christians whom he may select himself. He can go out on to the parade ground and choose. I have too many Christians anyhow and shall be only too glad to be rid of some in a sensible way.”
But Cephas did not approve of this reasonable suggestion, although’ he gave it some thought. He stubbornly insisted that it was he who should be arrested and all the others set free. It was a senseless demand, but on thinking it over, I realized it was a wise one from his point of view. If he picked out one or two hundred people at his own discretion from that huge crowd, it would cause worse suspicion than ever among the Christians and at a moment when the spokesmen for the different sides had come to some measure of agreement.
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