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At The Urge To Murder A Man Not Of Our Race Or People
We bring peace to these lands, peace, from Rome;
each of its colonies becomes our home
on which we have imposed our law and order
even upon the empire's furthest border;
and that, you better know, goes rather far.
Defending our traditions is our right
(nor will it be reduced by any slight)
as constituted by S P Q R,
and as directed by our Emperor,
Tiberius, whom no one dares to slur.
Our exports are taxes and slavery.
Those who might seem courageous to defy
our rule we will, most quickly, crucify---
for we inflict death expeditiously
and, when one watches, with efficiency.
Judeans can no longer slay with stones.
The Prefect must, officially, consent
to each case of capital punishment;
often that is preceded by a scourging,
like this one scheduled now. From Galilee,
this fellow who must bear the penalty:
and with excitement's sense of unbound urging,
these studded thongs will strip flesh off his bones---
a foretaste of the ghastly agony
that waits for him, on that ridge, Calvary.
Starward
