4umi Khalil Gibran : Jesus, The Son Of Man / Claudius a Roman sentinel

Claudius, a Roman sentinel

Jesus the Stoic

After he was taken, they entrusted Him to me. And I was ordered by Pontius Pilatus to keep Him in custody until the following morning.

My soldiers led Him prisoner, and He was obedient to them.

At midnight I left my wife and children and visited the arsenal. It was my habit to go about and see all that was well with my battalions in Jerusalem; and that night I visited the arsenal where He was held.

My soldiers and some of the young Jews were making sport of Him. They had stripped Him of His garment, and they had put a crown of last year's brier-thorns upon His head.

They had seated Him against a pillar, and they were dancing and shouting before Him.

And they had given Him a reed to hold in His hand.

As I entered someone shouted, "Behold, O Captain, the King of the Jews."

I stood before Him and looked at Him, and I was ashamed. I knew not why.

I had fought in Gallia and in Spain, and with my men I had faced death. Yet never had I been in fear, nor been a coward. But when I stood before that man and He looked at me I lost heart. It seemed as though my lips were sealed, and I could not utter no word.

And straightway I left the arsenal.

This chanced thirty years ago. My sons who were babes then are men now. And they are serving Caesar and Rome.

But often in counselling them I have spoken of Him, a man facing death with the sap of life upon His lips, and with compassion for His slayers in His eyes.

And now I am old. I have lived the years fully. And I think truly that neither Pompey nor Caesar was so great a commander as that Man of Galilee.

For since His unresisting death an army has risen out of the earth to fight for Him... And He is better served by them, though dead, than ever Pompey or Caesar was served, though living.

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 Khalil Gibran Introductory biography Spirits Rebellious The Broken Wings A Tear and a Smile The Madman The Forerunner The Prophet The New Frontier Sand and Foam Jesus, The Son Of Man James the son of Zebedee Anna the mother of Mary Assaph called the Orator of Tyre Mary Magdalen Philemon, a Greek Apothecary Simon who was called Peter Caiaphas Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Rafca A Persian Philosopher in Damascus David, one of his followers Luke Matthew John the son of Zebedee A young priest of Capernaum A rich levi in the neighborhood of the Nazarene A shepherd in South Lebanon John the Baptist Joseph of Arimathea Nathaniel Saba of Antioch Salome to a woman friend Rachael, a woman disciple Cleopas of Bethroune Naaman of the Gadarenes Thomas Elmadam the Logician One of the Mary's Rumanous, a Greek poet Levi, a disciple A widow in Galilee Judas the cousin of Jesus The man from the desert Peter Melachi of Babylon, an astronomer A philosopher Uriah, an old man of Nazareth Nicodemus the poet Joseph of Arimathea Georgus of Beirut Mary Magdalen Jotham of Nazareth to a Roman Ephraim of Jericho Barca, a merchant of Tyre Phumiah, the high Priestess of Sidon Benjamin the scribe Zacchaeus Hannah of Bethsaida Manasseh Jephtha of Caesarea John the beloved disciple Mannus the Pompeiian, to a Greek Pontius Pilatus Bartholomew in Ephesus Matthew Andrew on prostitutes A rich man on possessions John at Patmos Peter on the neighbor A cobbler in Jerusalem Suzannah of Nazareth Joseph surnamed Justus Philip Birbarah of Yammouni Pilate's wife to a Roman lady A man outside of Jerusalem Sarkis, an old Greek shepherd Annas the high priest A woman, one of Mary's neighbors Ahaz the portly Barabbas Claudius a Roman sentinel James the brother of the Lord Simon the Cyrene Cyborea The woman in Byblos Mary Magdalen thirty years later A man from Lebanon The Earth Gods The Wanderer Al-Nay The Garden of the Prophet Lazarus and His Beloved Satan My Countrymen I Believe In You Your Thought And Mine You Have Your Lebanon History and the Nation The Vision Visual art