The Coming of the King | Page 8

not Crassus when he
went out against the Parthians carry from the Temple gold uncounted?

Did Pompey not take one hundred million of shekels in gold beside the
beams of gold hidden in the hollow wood?"
"Yea, much fine gold," Antipas replied. "But thou art thyself a
money-changer in the Temple, and its riches cometh to thy hands also."
"Thou dost not know Annas. Bled I am of my lawful profits else
another get my place. Annas is all powerful. Yet have I a plan."
"What planneth thou?" and Antipas leaned across the table with eager
eyes on the Jew.
"Let these three mighty ones--Herod of Tiberias, Zador Ben Amon of
Jerusalem and Pilate of Rome--form a secret union for their profit and
for breaking the power of Annas. What thinkest thou of such a union?"
"Thou art the son of a fool," and Antipas straightened up stiffly.
"A fool thou sayest? And wherefore?" Zador Ben Amon asked,
somewhat confused by the sudden change in the attitude of his host.
Antipas leaned forward. His lips were securely drawn over the points of
his teeth. His eyes, somewhat watery from much drinking, looked with
anger into the steady eye of Zador. "Pilate," he began, "doth come
riding to the Passover in a gold inlaid ivory chariot and with royal
lictors, and in the Palace of Herod the Great doth he revel. Who builded
this palace? What man should be seated on its throne?" He paused and
held out his cup to the stewart who filled it afresh. "Who was the friend
of Cleopatra and Anthony? Was it not Herod the Great, father of
Antipas? Who went to Rome in a three-decked ship he builded, was
taken to the Roman Senate and made King of the Jews? Was it not the
father of Antipas? Who builded Caesarea at the fountains of Jordan?
Who builded the Temple, the arches, the monuments, the streets, the
aqueducts, the walls, the towers and the Palace of Herod the Great,
King of the Jews? Was it not Herod the Great, father of Antipas? And
when he had died and the worms eaten him who was given command
of the Tower of Antonio? Into whose hands was the Palace of Herod
the Great given? Who is this Pilate--impostor of a Roman? Is he not the

son of a heathen of Seville? Was not his father Marcus Pontius who
deserted his countrymen when Rome made conquest in his land? Was
he not rewarded for his treachery with the sharp-edged pilatus which
gave to him the new name 'Pilate'? Did not the son of this heathen dog
follow Germanicus and through him creep in among the Romans of
high estate? Did he not wed Claudia Procula, granddaughter of
Augustus? And shortly thereafter was he not made Procurator at
Jerusalem? Who should sit in state in Herod's palace in Jerusalem?
Antipas, son of the King of the Jews, who builded it, or Pilate who
would grind him beneath his clanking Roman heel? And wouldst thou
have me to form union with this?"
With flushed face Antipas paused to get breath. "More wine!" he called.
He drained the cup and throwing it across the table, arose and walked
the length of the room and back with heavy strides. Then he sat down
and pounded the table shouting, "Hear, oh, Zador Ben Amon! not until
the desire of Pilate be the desire of the son of Herod the Great shall
Antipas and Pilate come together! Dost thou understand? Like fleas on
a dog these secret societies thou fearest may vex Rome. That is Rome's
grievance. In Galilee know they better for the Gaulonite is yet
remembered. Yet will I comb the province clean with teeth of steel that
not one breaching insurrection may escape."
Antipas was trembling with rage. Zador Ben Amon saw that he had
done little less than insult his host by his untimely suggestion about
Pilate.
"Let not the peace of Antipas be disturbed by the power of Pilate in
Jerusalem," he said quietly, moving nearer Antipas. "Like the mist of
the morning his days pass, and what man knoweth who shall be
Procurator then?"
"What meanest thou?" and the Tetrarch leaned forward with returning
interest.
"We must be alone."
Antipas turned around to his stewart. "Begone!" he commanded. When

the door had closed behind him, Zador's host with burning eyes
whispered, "A plot? Hast thou heard in Rome of a plot against the life
of Pilate?"
"Whether plot I know not. But by evil omens is the day marked for him,
deadly as the Ides of March."
"Evil omens? From an oracle?"
"From an oracle under the wings of a raven and bat. Came the omen
from the entrails of a falcon which, when spread before the oracle, did
lift themselves one