>"They dance so languorously, the women of Syria. I knew then in Jerusalem a Jewess who, in a hovel, by the light of a small smoky lamp, on a bad carpet, danced raising her arms to clash her cymbals. Her back arched, her head thrown back and as if dragged down by her heavy auburn hair, her eyes drowned in voluptuousness, ardent and languishing, supple, she'd have made Cleopatra herself pale with envy. I loved her barbaric dances, her slightly husky and yet so sweet singing, the smell of her incense, the semi-sleeping state she seemed to live in. I followed her everywhere. I mixed in with the vile crowd of soldiers, boatmen and publicans she was surrounded with. One day she disappeared and I never saw her again. I looked for a long time for her in doubtful alleyways and taverns. She was harder for me to do without than Greek wine. A few months after I had lost track of her, I learned, quite by chance, that she had joined a small group of men and women who were followers of a young Galilean miracle worker. He was called Jesus, came from Nazareth, and was crucified, for what crime I don't know. Do you remember that man, Pontius?">Pontius Pilate frowned, bringing his hand to his forehead like someone who is trying to remember. Then, after a few moments of silence, he murmured:>"Jesus. Jesus. From Nazareth? No. I can't bring him to mind."
>>24943625From "The Procurator of Judea" by Anatole France
I can totally buy Pilate forgetting all about Jesus, at least until Christianity started to really grow in size. Executing the leader of a rebellious sect, trying not to piss the Sanhedrin off, avoiding a riot in Jerusalem, it's all probably just another day at the office for Palestine's top Roman official.
>>24943649I like how Bulgakhov portrayed Pontius Pilate.
>>24943625Damn, she sounds hot.
>>24943649>trying not to piss the Sanhedrin offSomehow I doubt he really cared about them and it just makes for a better story that explains how an innocent man could end up getting killed.
>>24943649*Israel's
>>24944367He absolutely needed to keep their opinion in mind. Roman backing of a local elite was their modus operandi. Judea was a hotbed of rebellion
>>24944449*Isn'treal's
Bump
>>24944467The local elite depended on Rome for their power. The high priest in the gospels at least panics because he thinks Jesus will incite rebellion and says better for one man to die than the whole nation
>>24943625>They dance so languorously, the women of Syria. I knew then in Jerusalem a Jewess who, in a hovel, by the light of a small smoky lamp, on a bad carpet, danced raising her arms to clash her cymbals. Her back arched, her head thrown back and as if dragged down by her heavy auburn hair, her eyes drowned in voluptuousness, ardent and languishing, supple, she'd have made Cleopatra herself pale with envy. I loved her barbaric dances, her slightly husky and yet so sweet singing, the smell of her incense, the semi-sleeping state she seemed to live in.Ew.
>>24943625>The Procurator of Judea"Might have to pick this up making it easy sharing for anonshttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58967
>>24944449Actually it was originally called the Province of Judea. It was renamed the Province of Syria-Palaestina following the Romans putting down the Bar Kokhba revolt and sacking Jerusalem.
