human
You do not seem to lack the virtue of pride, continued Pilate,
gpt
Look, he called down to the crowd,
human
To the gallows with him! To the cross with him!
gpt
If, said Pilate, preserving his ironical tone,
human
We want to see this Jesus crucified,
gpt
But why, by Jupiter? I cannot see that He is guilty of anything.
human
If you set free this blasphemer, this demagogue, who, so He says, intends to redeem the Jewish nation from bondage, who has the devil's eloquence with which to influence the masses, if you let this man go about among the people again, then you are your Emperor's bitterest enemy. Then we shall ask for a governor who is as true to the Emperor as we are!
gpt
You would be more imperial than Pontius Pilate! He threw out that sentence to them, measuring their figures with contempt. Whenever Rome touched any of their chartered rights they seethed with anger; but whenever they needed power to accomplish some purpose hostile to the people, they cringed to Rome. They recognised no people and no Emperor; their Temple-law was all in all to them. And they dared to advise the Governor to be imperial! But the crowd murmured angrily. The storm of passion was increasing in the courtyard. A thousand voices threatening, shouting shrilly, demanded the Nazarene's death. At that moment his wife sent to Pilate and reminded him of her dream. He was inclined to set the accused free at once. Then in the dim light of the torches and the dawning day a dark mass appeared above the heads of the people. It was one of those criminals' stakes with the cross-beam like those erected out at Golgotha, only more massive and imposing. They had dragged the cross here, and when it became visible to the crowd they broke out in heightened fury:
human
Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Jesus or Pilate!
gpt
Jesus--or Pilate?
human
Jesus or Pilate?
gpt
Do you hear, Governor? one of the High Priests asked him.
human
There is nothing else to be done! You see, the people haven't been asleep to-night. They are mad!