"We have no king but Cæsar!"
"Crucify him!"
"To the cross with the false prophet!"
"Death to the usurper! Long live Cæsar! Death to the Nazarene! To the cross! To the cross with him! Let him be crucified!"
These were the various cries from ten thousand throats that responded to the Procurator's address. Remembering the warning message sent him by his young and beautiful wife, who held great influence over him, he trembled with indecision.
"Why will you compel me to crucify an innocent man? What evil hath he done?"
"Crucify him! Crucify him!" was the deafening response.
"I will chastise him and let him go!"
"At your peril release him, O Roman!" exclaimed Caiaphas, in a menacing tone. "Either he or you must die this day for the people! Blood must flow to appease this tempest!"
When the Procurator saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather the tumult increased, he called for water, which was brought to him in a basin by his page, and in the presence of the whole multitude he washed his hands, saying: