5. The Palace of Caiaphas
PHARISEES.
What do we? Clearly something must we do,
For this man worketh many miracles
CAIAPHAS.
I am informed that he is a mechanic;
A carpenter's son; a Galilean peasant,
Keeping disreputable company.
PHARISEES.
The people say that here in Bethany
He hath raised up a certain Lazarus,
Who had been dead three days.
CAIAPHAS.
Impossible!
There is no resurrection of the dead;
This Lazarus should be taken, and put to death
As an impostor. If this Galilean
Would be content to stay in Galilee,
And preach in country towns, I should not heed him.
But when he comes up to Jerusalem
Riding in triumph, as I am informed,
And drives the money-changers from the Temple,
That is another matter.
PHARISEES.
If we thus
Let him alone, all will believe on him,
And then the Romans come and take away
Our place and nation
CAIAPHAS
Ye know nothing at all
Simon Ben Camith, my great predecessor,
On whom be peace! would have dealt presently
With such a demagogue. I shall no less.
The man must die. Do ye consider not
It is expedient that one man should die,
Not the whole nation perish? What is death?
It differeth from sleep but in duration.
We sleep and wake again; an hour or two
Later or earlier, and it matters not,
And if we never wake it matters not;
When we are in our graves we are at peace,
Nothing can wake us or disturb us more
There is no resurrection
PHARISEES.
O most faithful
Disciple of Hircanus Maccabaeus,
Will nothing but complete annihilation
Comfort and satisfy thee?
CAIAPHAS.
While ye are talking
And plotting, and contriving how to take him,
Fearing the people, and so doing naught,
I, who fear not the people, have been acting;
Have taken this Prophet, this young Nazarene,
Who by Beelzebub the Prince of devils
Casteth out devils, and doth raise the dead,
That might as well be dead, and left in peace
Annas my father-in-law hath sent him hither.
I hear the guard. Behold your Galilean!
C HRISTUS is brought in bound .
SERVANT.
Why art thou up so late, my pretty damsel?
DAMSEL
Why art thou up so early, pretty man?
It is not cock-crow yet, and art thou stirring?
SERVANT.
What brings thee here?
DAMSEL.
What brings the rest of you?
SERVANT.
Come here and warm thy hands
DAMSEL to PETER
Art thou not also
One of this man's disciples?
PETER .
I am not.
DAMSEL.
Now surely thou art also one of them
Thou art a Galilean, and thy speech
Bewrayeth thee.
PETER.
Woman, I know him not
CAIAPHAS to CHRISTUS , in the Hall .
Who art thou? Tell us plainly of thy self
And of thy doctrines, and of thy disciples.
CHRISTUS
Lo, I have spoken openly to the world,
I have taught ever in the Synagogue,
And in the Temple, where the Jews resort;
In secret have said nothing. Wherefore then
Askest thou me of this? Ask them that heard me
What I have said to them. Behold, they know
What I have said!
OFFICER , striking him .
What, fellow! answerest thou
The High Priest so?
CHRISTUS.
If I have spoken evil,
Bear witness of the evil; but if well,
Why smitest thou me?
CAIAPHAS
Where are the witnesses?
Let them say what they know.
THE TWO FALSE WITNESSES.
We heard him say:
I will destroy this Temple made with hands
And will within three days build up another
Made without hands.
SCRIBES and PHARISEES
He is o'erwhelmed with shame
And cannot answer!
CAIAPHAS.
Dost thou answer nothing?
What is this thing they witness here against thee?
SCRIBES and PHARISEES .
He holds his peace
CAIAPHAS
Tell us, art thou the Christ?
I do adjure thee by the living God,
Tell us, art thou indeed the Christ?
CHRISTUS .
I am.
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man
Sit on the right hand of the power of God,
And come in clouds of heaven!
CAIAPHAS.
It is enough.
He hath spoken blasphemy! What further need
Have we of witness? Now ye have heard
His blasphemy. What think ye? Is he guilty?
SCRIBES and PHARISEES .
Guilty of death!
KINSMAN OF MALCHUS to PETER , in the vestibule .
Surely I know thy face,
Did I not see thee in the garden with him?
PETER.
How couldst thou see me? I swear unto thee
I do not know this man of whom ye speak!
The cock crows.
Hark! the cock crows! That sorrowful, pale face
Seeks for me in the crowd, and looks at me,
As if He would remind me of those words:
Ere the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice!
Goes out weeping . C HRISTUS is blind-folded and
buffeted .
AN OFFICER , striking him with his palm
Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, thou Prophet!
Who is it smote thee?
CAIAPHAS
Lead him unto Pilate!
What do we? Clearly something must we do,
For this man worketh many miracles
CAIAPHAS.
I am informed that he is a mechanic;
A carpenter's son; a Galilean peasant,
Keeping disreputable company.
PHARISEES.
The people say that here in Bethany
He hath raised up a certain Lazarus,
Who had been dead three days.
CAIAPHAS.
Impossible!
There is no resurrection of the dead;
This Lazarus should be taken, and put to death
As an impostor. If this Galilean
Would be content to stay in Galilee,
And preach in country towns, I should not heed him.
But when he comes up to Jerusalem
Riding in triumph, as I am informed,
And drives the money-changers from the Temple,
That is another matter.
PHARISEES.
If we thus
Let him alone, all will believe on him,
And then the Romans come and take away
Our place and nation
CAIAPHAS
Ye know nothing at all
Simon Ben Camith, my great predecessor,
On whom be peace! would have dealt presently
With such a demagogue. I shall no less.
The man must die. Do ye consider not
It is expedient that one man should die,
Not the whole nation perish? What is death?
It differeth from sleep but in duration.
We sleep and wake again; an hour or two
Later or earlier, and it matters not,
And if we never wake it matters not;
When we are in our graves we are at peace,
Nothing can wake us or disturb us more
There is no resurrection
PHARISEES.
O most faithful
Disciple of Hircanus Maccabaeus,
Will nothing but complete annihilation
Comfort and satisfy thee?
CAIAPHAS.
While ye are talking
And plotting, and contriving how to take him,
Fearing the people, and so doing naught,
I, who fear not the people, have been acting;
Have taken this Prophet, this young Nazarene,
Who by Beelzebub the Prince of devils
Casteth out devils, and doth raise the dead,
That might as well be dead, and left in peace
Annas my father-in-law hath sent him hither.
I hear the guard. Behold your Galilean!
C HRISTUS is brought in bound .
SERVANT.
Why art thou up so late, my pretty damsel?
DAMSEL
Why art thou up so early, pretty man?
It is not cock-crow yet, and art thou stirring?
SERVANT.
What brings thee here?
DAMSEL.
What brings the rest of you?
SERVANT.
Come here and warm thy hands
DAMSEL to PETER
Art thou not also
One of this man's disciples?
PETER .
I am not.
DAMSEL.
Now surely thou art also one of them
Thou art a Galilean, and thy speech
Bewrayeth thee.
PETER.
Woman, I know him not
CAIAPHAS to CHRISTUS , in the Hall .
Who art thou? Tell us plainly of thy self
And of thy doctrines, and of thy disciples.
CHRISTUS
Lo, I have spoken openly to the world,
I have taught ever in the Synagogue,
And in the Temple, where the Jews resort;
In secret have said nothing. Wherefore then
Askest thou me of this? Ask them that heard me
What I have said to them. Behold, they know
What I have said!
OFFICER , striking him .
What, fellow! answerest thou
The High Priest so?
CHRISTUS.
If I have spoken evil,
Bear witness of the evil; but if well,
Why smitest thou me?
CAIAPHAS
Where are the witnesses?
Let them say what they know.
THE TWO FALSE WITNESSES.
We heard him say:
I will destroy this Temple made with hands
And will within three days build up another
Made without hands.
SCRIBES and PHARISEES
He is o'erwhelmed with shame
And cannot answer!
CAIAPHAS.
Dost thou answer nothing?
What is this thing they witness here against thee?
SCRIBES and PHARISEES .
He holds his peace
CAIAPHAS
Tell us, art thou the Christ?
I do adjure thee by the living God,
Tell us, art thou indeed the Christ?
CHRISTUS .
I am.
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man
Sit on the right hand of the power of God,
And come in clouds of heaven!
CAIAPHAS.
It is enough.
He hath spoken blasphemy! What further need
Have we of witness? Now ye have heard
His blasphemy. What think ye? Is he guilty?
SCRIBES and PHARISEES .
Guilty of death!
KINSMAN OF MALCHUS to PETER , in the vestibule .
Surely I know thy face,
Did I not see thee in the garden with him?
PETER.
How couldst thou see me? I swear unto thee
I do not know this man of whom ye speak!
The cock crows.
Hark! the cock crows! That sorrowful, pale face
Seeks for me in the crowd, and looks at me,
As if He would remind me of those words:
Ere the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice!
Goes out weeping . C HRISTUS is blind-folded and
buffeted .
AN OFFICER , striking him with his palm
Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, thou Prophet!
Who is it smote thee?
CAIAPHAS
Lead him unto Pilate!
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