Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel (28 page)

“All right.” He slipped off her lap and went to play with his small wagon.

How quickly children could be distracted, Claudia reasoned. With a sigh of relief, she watched Hotep lead Doros back to his bed, then she began to undress for bed herself.

Sleep would not come. As she lay there, her mind turned with possibilities. Would she be able to see Jesus herself? Would he appear to her? She dismissed that thought. She was a believer, but she was not one of his close disciples, and she could not go to the upper room as the others did. Even so, she would look forward to meeting with other believers in the palace. They were scheduled to leave in a few weeks for Caesarea for the late spring and summer, and she was reluctant to leave Jerusalem with all that was happening. Perhaps she could find believers in Caesarea.

Finally, after praying for Lucius, she stared at the ceiling. Would there be a way to share this news with her husband? And if she did, what would be his reaction? In his present emotional state, would he believe her?

 41 

C
laudia sought an opportunity to speak with Lucius about Jesus, but there never seemed to be a time when he wasn’t preoccupied. At first he was depressed, expecting a summons from Tiberius to answer for the things that had happened, but it didn’t come. The weeks and months passed and the year ended. Lucius seemed more ruthless than ever, as if to prove to the Jews that he was not a weakling who could be manipulated by their leaders. Claudia lived her faith quietly, for Lucius would not allow her to talk about Jesus to him. Doros had been cautioned not to speak of Jesus around his father just yet, for she knew the incident still bothered him. If he became angry, he could take him away and find a tutor who would exorcise any of Claudia’s influence as a believer.

Claudia enjoyed the celebration of Hanukkah and met with a group of believers. She had finally been accepted into Chuza’s group, but not without much anxiety on their part.

When they found out who she was, their smiles had turned to anger.

Claudia faced them calmly. “I am not responsible for the actions of my husband. I love our Lord and am grateful for his mercy in healing my son.” She beckoned to Hotep, who came hesitantly, holding the hand of Doros. “My son was born with a crippled foot. In Roman society that is a curse. Jesus had no hesitation, and he knew whose
son he was. I only ask that you let me learn more of our Savior so my son will grow up to love him also.”

After she had spoken, one of the Jewish men stood and faced the group. “If our Lord had compassion on her son, so must we also have compassion on one who seeks the truth.” He then turned to Claudia. “Welcome, in the name of the risen Lord.”

Relief flooded her being. “Thank you.”

Chuza cautioned them, “She comes with great risk. Let us be sure that no word leaves this room of her presence here.”

They all nodded and faces that had been anxious now greeted her with smiles.

One by one, members of the group spoke and told their stories. One young man sat listening and brooding at the side of the room. He didn’t speak until most were getting ready to leave. As Claudia prepared to leave with Hotep holding the now sleeping Doros, he challenged her.

“Jesus was innocent of any crime, yet the governor sentenced him to death. What kind of a man does that?”

Claudia sighed. “A man who, in his own mind, had no choice. He could not have another riot. He would have been recalled, and who knows what kind of man Tiberius would send in his place?”

Joanna faced the young man. “I have traveled with Jesus. He told us several times he would be killed and would rise on the third day. We didn’t listen. We didn’t want to believe, yet all came to pass as the Lord told us. The Most High God merely used our governor to accomplish his will.”

The young man was startled at her words. Conflicting emotions crossed his face. Finally, he shook his head and went out the door.

Claudia had been careful to attend the meetings only when Lucius was away. She didn’t want to take a chance on his forbidding her to go or to take Doros. Lucius was short-tempered these days. He had not heard from the emperor, but messages took time to reach the outer provinces. They both knew there was turmoil in Rome as Sejanus tightened his hold on the city and paved the way for his being named co-regent with Tiberius.

When Lucius returned, he was silent at dinner, and while the pigeons stuffed with nuts were succulent and tender, he toyed with his food.

“Something troubles you, my husband?”

“I am expecting a courier from Rome. There are strange rumors floating about.”

She’d had a sense of apprehension for several days but thought it was guilt because she’d been attending the meetings without her husband’s knowledge.

“When will the courier arrive?”

“Any day now.”

“And you are fearful of the news he will bring.”

He frowned. “I’m not sure how I feel. Waiting to find out if I have been recalled is never far from my mind.”

“Is it the death of Jesus that troubles you?”

“He was innocent. How could I put to death the man who healed my son?”

He finally looked up at her and she saw the ragged pain in his eyes. He had been torturing himself. Was now the time?

She began hesitantly, “Dear husband. I have news that you may not receive or believe, but it might put your conscience to rest.”

He put a small chunk of bread down, his eyes fixed on her face. “What news?”

She took a deep breath and sent up a silent prayer for guidance. “When Jesus was traveling around, toward the end of his ministry, he told his disciples several times that he would be taken by the Jewish elders and killed. They didn’t want to believe him. They didn’t want anything to happen to him. Joanna told me that he also told his disciples that on the third day after his death he would rise from the dead and be alive again.”

He shook his head. “You have been listening to foolish tales. No man rises from the dead after the death he suffered. I know about the empty tomb, Claudia. The disciples stole the body right from under the noses of the soldiers.”

Claudia suppressed a smile, thinking of the argument Joanna had
used to convince her. She would use the same argument now with her practical husband.

“Dear Lucius. I know that you keep a finger on all that goes on in Judea and you insist on the facts when you are making a decision. Let me share what I have learned. First, there were ten soldiers. What is the penalty for going to sleep on their watch?”

“Death. No soldier sleeps on duty,” he growled.

“Then the soldiers would not go to sleep. The stone was large—so large I hear it took several men just to roll it into place. Would it not have made a noise if the disciples tried to move the stone out of the way?”

“Yes.” His eyes narrowed. “Where are you going with this, woman?”

“Just this. The disciples ran away when Jesus was arrested in the garden. They were in hiding, fearing arrest themselves. Would they have gone to the garden and boldly moved the stone with ten soldiers nearby? Would they have unwrapped the graveclothes from the body and left them behind as they carried the Lord’s body away?”

She had his full attention. “The graveclothes were lying in place in the tomb as if the body had just slipped out of them. The head cloth was neatly folded and lying by itself. Would the disciples take time to do this under the circumstances?”

He rubbed his chin. “You present a good argument, beloved. Caiaphas besought me to ignore the penalty for the guards. He said they had been bewitched.” He gave her an indulgent smile. “So what then has been done with this rabbi?”

“He is risen, Lucius, and has been seen by all of his disciples, including Joanna.” She couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice. “Lucius, he ate with them, and showed them the nail prints in his hands and feet. He is alive. You may have ordered his death, but he ordered his life.”

“You want to believe these stories because of what he did for our son.”

“No, Lucius, I want to believe because in my heart I know it is true. When he walked in Judea and taught the people, he raised three people from the dead, remember? You told me about it yourself. A man named
Lazarus, a widow’s son, and a little girl. He just spoke the words and life came back into their bodies. The man Lazarus was raised before dozens of witnesses. Could not a man, who called himself the Son of God, have the power to take up his life again?”

“Woman, you would almost persuade me . . .”

A servant interrupted them. “Excellency, there is a courier waiting to speak with you.”

Lucius’s softened mood changed instantly. “Send him in.”

The soldier saluted Lucius. “Excellency, I bring disturbing news from Rome.”

“Speak on. I have sensed something is not right.”

“Sejanus is dead.”

Lucius nearly rose from his couch. “Dead? How?”

“Sejanus was expecting to be named co-regent with the emperor. He was summoned to the senate meeting by the emperor in a letter, supposedly to confer on him the tribunician powers. As he entered the hall, the senators all cheered, and then settled down to listen to the letter from the emperor. Meanwhile, Naevius Sutorius Macro, whom we learned later had already been chosen by the emperor to replace Sejanus, quietly replaced the soldiers loyal to Sejanus with members of the Praetorian Guard, including myself, who were loyal to Tiberius. We waited until the letter was read. The emperor rambled, stating he was near the point of death and stepping down as consul, which forced Sejanus to do the same. Tiberius then conferred an honorary priesthood on Caligula, which rekindled support for the popular house of Germanicus. Then Tiberius suddenly accused Sejanus of treason! He was immediately arrested and led in chains from the hall.”

Claudia glanced at her husband, whose face registered not only shock, but dismay. His worst fears had come true. Is this what Tiberius had in store for her husband? A knot formed in her chest and she felt she could hardly breathe.

“Then what happened?” Lucius strove to maintain his composure.

“The senate condemned him to death and he was strangled. When
they threw his body down the Gemonian stairs, the people fell on the body and tore it to pieces.”

Claudia shuddered. When she lived in Rome, she had seen the bodies that had been thrown down these steps that led from the Capitoline Hill to the Roman Forum. Bodies of the dishonorable and outcast were left to rot at the foot of these steps for days.

Lucius shook his head. “I never imagined such a fate for Sejanus.”

“That is not all, Excellency. The city was in an uproar. Mobs rioted and anyone they could link to the prefect’s reign of terror was hunted down and killed. Dozens of men were crucified. It took us days to quell the mob and bring order.”

Claudia could no longer keep silent, shivering at the bloodbath that must have ensued. “What of his family?”

The soldier continued, adding to her horror. “His sons were strangled and his former wife, Apicata, committed suicide, but not before she wrote a letter to Tiberius claiming Levilla had poisoned the emperor’s son, Drusus, at Sejanus’s instigation. Levilla’s own mother, Antonia, was so angry she had her starved to death. The slaves in Levilla’s household confessed to administering the poison at her request and they were put to death.”

Claudia clasped her hands in her lap to maintain composure herself. “You said the sons of Sejanus were dead. What of his daughter, Junilla? She would be about thirteen now. Was she spared?”

The man could not look into her eyes. He hesitated and then looked to Lucius for direction.

“Answer the question or she will give me no rest.”

“She was strangled also, my lady.”

“But she was unmarried as yet, a virgin.”

“Yes, my lady, and there is no precedent for putting to death a virgin. It seems that one of the—ah—guards took care of that matter before her death.”

“You mean he . . . ?” Claudia felt as if she was going to be sick.

“Yes, my lady.” He shook his head slowly and turned to Lucius.
“There is more I was sent to tell you, Excellency. Tiberius has plunged into a series of trials and is relentlessly pursuing anyone who can in any way be tied to the schemes of Sejanus. Or . . . ,” and he paused meaningfully, “or courted his friendship.”

Claudia, already distraught, gasped and put a hand on the arm of her husband, whose jaw was clenched at the news. “You were appointed by Tiberius, but it was at the suggestion of Sejanus.”

Lucius leaned back, his face resigned. “Then I am in danger from the emperor also.” He remained silent for a long moment and finally rose. “Thank you. Now refresh yourself and partake of a meal. Then my servants will show you to your quarters.”

The man stood and saluted. “Thank you, Excellency. I must admit I am hungry. It has been a long journey, but it was urgent you receive this news. Your friend Trajanius made arrangements with Macro for me to come to you with all haste.”

Lucius took Claudia’s elbow as they climbed the stairs and the air was heavy with portent. She was heartsick and anxious. What did this mean for them? Would soldiers arrive one day with orders for her husband’s arrest?

Lucius looked toward the room of his small son and slowly pushed open the door. Hotep rose from tucking Doros in his bed and bowed her head as she stepped back respectfully. He walked over and picked up the small wagon that was Doros’s favorite toy, and put it down beside him.