Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate

by Taylor, Diana Wallis

  She carefully made her way downstairs with the help of her maidservant and waited in the alcove in the garden, looking forward to more of this interesting story of the Jews.

  When Jeremiah came, at her invitation, he settled himself slowly on the end of the bench.

  “Let me see, my lady, where did I leave off?”

  “It was the people of Israel settling in the land of Goshen.”

  “Ah, yes. Well, the people lived in Egypt many years and, with the favor of the Most High God, multiplied into a great nation just as the Most High God had promised Abraham. But there came a day when a king arose in Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph. He felt the people of Israel were too many and feared they would take over his kingdom. He made them slaves and used them to build the great pyramids and cities of Egypt. Nearly four hundred years had passed since the people had come to Egypt, and now they were doing backbreaking work for Pharaoh. They cried out to the Most High God for deliverance for a long time. The Most High heard their cries and sent them one of their own, a man by the name of Moses. He had been born to a Hebrew couple, but Pharaoh had decreed that all male children were to be killed . . .”

  Claudia’s eyes widened. “All of them? That seems so cruel.”

  “Cruelty comes in many forms, Domina.”

  Jeremiah waited, letting his words sink in.

  She let the comment pass. “Go on, Jeremiah.”

  “The parents hid their son for three months, and then one day the mother made a basket and put pitch in all the cracks and crevasses so it would float. It was placed among the reeds on a day when Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe. The baby’s sister, Miriam, hid nearby and watched over her little brother. Just as the family hoped, Pharaoh’s daughter came and found the baby. The princess called him Moses, for it meant “drawn from the water.” Moses was trained in all the knowledge of Egypt, but his true mother, who had been called to be his nurse, taught him about his people, the Hebrews. One day Moses tried to settle a fight between an Egyptian and a Hebrew and killed the Egyptian. He was forced to flee into the wilderness to hide from Pharaoh’s wrath. He married the daughter of a Midianite chieftain and raised two sons. When he was eighty years old, he was herding sheep in the wilderness one day when he saw a burning bush—”

  Claudia interrupted. “A prince of Egypt one day and then reduced to being a shepherd in the wilderness? If he was the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, would she not protect him?”

  “Perhaps she could not, Domina. Our God always has a plan and this was his plan for Moses, for a time. When Moses saw a bush that seemed on fire but did not burn, he turned aside to see what this strange sight was. When he approached, God called to him from the midst of the bush and told him he was to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let his people go. Moses was reluctant to do this. He was old, he did not speak well, and he knew that Pharaoh would not listen. God made his brother, Aaron, his spokesman, and finally Moses obeyed the voice of the Lord and went.”

  “What happened when he returned to Egypt? Was he not in danger of his life?”

  Jeremiah glanced at the shadows that were filling the courtyard. “Perhaps another day, Domina?”

  “Yes, another day, Jeremiah. I will think on what you have told me.”

  After she had slowly returned to her quarters, Claudia burst out. “Some of this is very hard to believe. A fiery bush that does not burn? I wonder if Jeremiah is making this up.”

  “I believe he is sincere, Domina. It is an unusual story.”

  Claudia laughed. “Yes, indeed. The Jews are an unusual people. I cannot wait to hear what Pharaoh says when an old man of eighty and his brother come and tell him to let the Hebrews leave the land.”

  Hotep was somber. “Would it not be the same if a foreigner came to Caesar and asked him to let all the slaves go? He would not do this.”

  When Lucius had not returned the next day, Claudia sent for Jeremiah again. In the courtyard she would be aware if and when her husband returned.

  Jeremiah lowered himself again to the end of the bench and, after clearing his throat, continued the story of his people.

  “Pharaoh would not let the people go. He did not arrest Moses, but deemed him a crazy prophet he could dismiss from his presence. When the Pharaoh refused, the Most High God sent ten plagues on Egypt to change Pharaoh’s mind.”

  “Ten plagues?”

  “Yes, my lady. First, the rivers were turned to blood; then the land was overrun by frogs, then gnats; a plague of boils on cattle and people alike; a plague of hailstones that killed people and animals; a plague of locusts that came by the millions and ate what crops were left; a plague of severe darkness where a man could not even see his hand in front of his face. Yet, no matter what the plague, Pharaoh would not listen and refused each time to let the people go.”

  “Your god did this? And in spite of each of these terrible plagues, Pharaoh still refused?”

  “Yes. It took one final act for Pharaoh to finally agree to let the Hebrews leave Egypt.”

  “What more could this god of yours do?”

  “A most terrible thing, my lady, the plague of the firstborn. The Most High God called Moses and Aaron and gave them instructions they were to pass on to the people. At twilight they were to kill and roast a lamb or a young goat over the fire and eat it with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. Nothing was to remain until morning. They were to eat this meal in haste with their sandals on their feet, fully dressed and walking stick in their hand. They were to take blood from the sacrificial lamb and, with a hyssop branch, smear it on the sides and doorposts of their homes. They were not to go outside that night, as the death angel of the Lord would come and would pass over any home marked with blood and they would be safe. Any home without the sign of the blood would lose the firstborn son in that household, from the son of slaves to the son of Pharaoh. We were told to celebrate this night, the Passover, from generation to generation as a special festival to the Lord.”

  She leaned forward. “And did the death angel come?”

  He nodded solemnly. “Yes, my lady, and there was the terrible sound of weeping and wailing throughout the land as people awoke to death in their homes. Pharaoh, grieving the loss of his own son, the Prince of Egypt, called for Moses and ordered him to leave Egypt with his people.”

  “How sad, Jeremiah, that the Pharaoh would not listen and allowed such devastation to his own country and people.”

  “Perhaps, my lady, we also do not always listen to the voice of our God.”

  “So this is why there is the celebration of Passover in Jerusalem every year?”

  “Yes.”

  “Tell me, Jeremiah, did the people then settle in the land your god promised them?”

  He shook his head slowly. “We have been called a stubborn people, my lady. You have seen this over the matter of the standards. When Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from the Most High God—”

  Claudia interrupted him. “Your god gave you ten commandments? These are the laws for your people?”

  “Yes, my lady. They are the basis for our laws, before the entire law was given to the people through Moses.”

  “What are these commandments?”

  Jeremiah paused, considering, then recited from memory, “You shall worship no other God but the Most High; You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind; Do not misuse the name of the Lord; Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy; Honor your mother and father; You shall not commit murder; You shall not steal; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor; You shall not covet anything of your neighbor’s.”

  She considered them. “They seem like good rules to follow. We as Romans have laws to follow. That is what civilized people do. They obey the laws.”

  “But you worship many gods, my lady, and there are idols throughout the city.”

  She still didn’t understand. “Why is it wrong for us to worship many gods just because you cho
ose to worship only one?”

  “Because the Most High God is the only true God. He created the heavens and the earth.”

  This was getting out of hand. More and more she felt confused and that Jeremiah’s tale was just that, a tale. Yet, why would the Jews be willing to die for a myth? She had to know more.

  “Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from the mountain, and . . . ?”

  Jeremiah frowned as if he sensed her disbelief. “The people thought he was not coming back after being on the mountain forty days. They rebelled and began to worship a golden calf that Aaron made for them.”

  She was amazed. “Aaron was the brother of your leader and served your god, yet he made an idol for the people?”

  “Yes, my lady, he sinned greatly in this. His life was saved only because he repented and Moses cried out to God for him. Unfortunately there were other sins that angered our God and the people were forced to wander in the wilderness for forty years.”

  “Instead of the land your god promised them?”

  “Until Moses died, and God called Joshua to take up the leadership of the people. Joshua was a mighty warrior and the armies of Israel were victorious in battle and conquered many people. When they had driven out the people God had told them to conquer, they were finally able to settle the land. It was divided up into twelve portions, for the twelve tribes. From this beginning, down through the generations, through the tribe of Judah, we were given David, and his son Solomon, the greatest king that Israel has known.”

  “I have never heard of Solomon. How was he a great king?”

  “God blessed him above all other men and gave him wisdom beyond his years. He ruled much of what is the Roman Empire at this time. He was wealthy beyond anything we could imagine. Kings and queens came from other countries to hear his wisdom. Yet, his son was not wise. After Solomon’s death the kingdom was lost to enemies through his descendants who were wicked in the eyes of the Most High God.”

  Claudia looked down at her hands and tried to comprehend all that Jeremiah was telling her. What a complicated people the Jews were. She might as well hear the rest. “What did they do that was so wicked?”

  Jeremiah hesitated. “They worshiped abominable idols and sacrificed their children to the pagan gods of the land, which the Most High never ordained.”

  Since Claudia’s household gods and the Roman gods were all she had ever known, Jeremiah’s words disturbed her. “At least we Romans don’t sacrifice our children!”

  “No my lady, but sometimes they are the victims of their father’s sins. Your Roman women starve themselves to death and families are murdered because of the crimes of the father. Good men commit suicide at the hint of a scandal to save their family name. The Most High God never commanded such a thing.”

  That was true. Some well-to-do families in Rome had suffered death because of the acts of the father. If Lucius was convicted of a crime by Tiberius, would she be willing to starve herself to death? It was a chilling thought.

  Jeremiah went on. “My people sinned many times, and the Lord God allowed other people to conquer our land over the centuries.”

  “Like the Roman armies?”

  He looked away from her. Finally, in a low voice he murmured. “Yes, my lady, like the Roman armies.”

  With a deep sigh, he rose from the bench and without another word, walked away. He had not waited for her to dismiss him, and for a moment she was tempted to reprimand him. Then, turning, she instead looked up into the face of her maidservant and saw there the import of his words.

  26

  As the coach rolled toward Jerusalem, Claudia had mixed emotions. She was glad to be able to see the city she had heard so much about. She understood only a little more about the Jews. It was the time of Passover and the city would be crowded with pilgrims all flocking to their holy city for one of their most important holy days. She had prayed there would not be any incidents. While Lucius had troops there, she believed they would be outnumbered if there was a riot of any kind. She hoped it would be a peaceful time for both of them. Hotep seemed to enjoy the scenery too, commenting on the beautiful flowers they passed.

  Lucius rode on ahead with his troops but ordered a detail to escort her coach into the city. Lucius hadn’t told her much about their quarters, and she wondered if at last they would have their own house.

  It was the Jewish month of Nisan, and the barley fields were like seas of golden grain. The spring rains caused the countryside to blossom in green foliage, and along the sides of the road, purple pentagonias and blue lupins vied for space on the hillsides along with the orange vetchling that slipped in around the fields. Fortunately, now that the rainy season had ended, the roads were no longer strips of heavy mud.

  The steady rocking of the coach didn’t help Claudia’s stomach, and she was forced to ask the driver to stop several times. Hotep insisted she try to keep her stomach full with bread. Claudia also sipped a little diluted wine. The detachment of soldiers was patient with the stops, knowing they would answer to their prefect if she did not arrive in good order.

  While she had seen little of her husband’s temper so far, mostly in regard to the incident with the banners, Claudia knew he could be harsh. With sudden realization, she hoped she would never be the recipient of his anger.

  Along the road, the coach passed hundreds of pilgrims heading toward Jerusalem. Some carried bundles of clothing and baskets of produce—pomegranates, grapes, figs, and vegetables. Some could afford to ride donkeys and a few rode camels, but most walked. Some of the men had a lamb around their shoulders to present for the sacrifice of Passover. Here and there she passed an ox with its horns painted gold. Garlands of flowers were draped around its neck and over its haunches. She didn’t know the significance of this in regard to the Passover ceremonies but enjoyed the sight.

  The mass of people gradually moved aside for the Roman soldiers and the coach, and Claudia caught the eyes of some of the people. Some stared openly, others looked away. Some seemed to dismiss her with a glance.

  As the coach approached the city itself, Claudia looked out at huge walls that seemed to gleam pure white in the bright sunshine. Streams of travelers entered the gates of the city from as many directions as she could see, and the coach was finally forced to slow down behind the crowd. When the pilgrims heard the shouting of the soldiers and saw the coach, they gradually parted to either side of the road to avoid being trampled by the horses. As the soldiers shouted rudely at the crowd to make way, Claudia shrank back in the coach. This was not going to endear the governor to the Jews.

  Once in the city, she was astonished at the size of the magnificent Temple that rose proudly to overlook the city. Its gleaming walls would have enclosed at least ten hippodromes like the one in Caesarea. Gold covered the sides of the walls, and Claudia felt she had never seen anything like it. She recalled the words of Jeremiah and for a moment could imagine a king like Solomon as Jeremiah had described him, ruling over a city like this and worshiping at a temple of this tremendous size.

  Hotep’s eyes were wide as she also saw the Temple. “Oh, Domina, surely their god must be very great to have such a temple!”

  They passed through traditional marketplaces full of ambitious vendors and pilgrims haggling over prices of goods and trying to outshout each other. Slaves and servants were busy buying food and necessary provisions for their households. Farmers laid out their fresh fruits and vegetables, spreading them out on rugs for those passing by to examine. Tables were set up to display various goods and trinkets. The din was enough to make both women cover their ears.

  They passed the front of the Antonia fortress and Claudia could see a large number of soldiers milling about. The Antonia was the headquarters of the present cohorts of soldiers. Also it held the Praetorium, the civil headquarters of the governor. She looked intently as they went by, wondering if Lucius was there.

  The coach continued across to the newer part of the city on the western side and approached another lar
ge fortress, the second palace of Herod. She sighed heavily. Another palace to live in and still no quarters of their own.

  When they paused in front of the palace, to her relief, Lucius was there to open the door and help her out.

  “My dear wife, you have arrived safely. How are you feeling?”

  “I feel like a great cow. I am glad to finally be here, Lucius.”

  He put an arm around her waist and helped her mount the steps from the courtyard. As she went up the steps a couple of sharp pains in her abdomen caught her, but she did her best to conceal it from Lucius.

  From every angle, all she could see were mosaic floors of magnificent colors, marble statues, and fountains. The palace was beautiful and spacious.

  They were met by Chuza, the palace steward. He was very tall, slightly stooped, and thin to the point of looking as if a strong wind would blow him away. His hair, peppered with gray, belied a boyish face and eyes that twinkled when he looked at her. He bowed and spread his hand toward the palace. “Welcome, my lady, to Jerusalem.”

  He led them down the corridors that faintly resembled the palace in Rome and opened the door to a richly furnished room. Herod had spared no expense in the lavish guest rooms of his palace. There was a dining alcove with a table and two chairs surrounded by pots of beautiful flowers that made Claudia want to seek the garden as soon as she was able. A couch with bright silk cushions sat in another alcove by a window. A wonderful place to work on my embroidery, Claudia thought to herself. The bed was enormous, with coverings of rich tapestry and silk.

  The floors of their room were made of mosaic in shades of soft brown and green, with thick Persian rugs strewn here and there.

  Chuza directed the servants to bring in her trunks, then bowed to Lucius, and the servants left the room.

  Fortunately she had packed few household goods. Hotep began putting away Claudia’s clothes and personal belongings.