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By Root 484 0

was speaking with his own prejudices of the twentieth century. Of cosy village churches and bigoted people who learned the Bible parrot-fashion without actually understanding its meaning. Who used the words of a man of peace as the justification for horrible acts of warfare, judicial murder, anti-Semitism and the oppression of women without bothering to know the context in which these statements were written. Or, refused to acknowledge the inherent contradictions within a work as large as the Bible.

People who, when they came knocking on your door and asked if you would like to let Jesus into your house, deserved a reply like, 'Yes, He can come in. But you'll have to wait outside.'

Perhaps I am being too hard on your Christians,' he said quickly.

'Are they making a nuisance of themselves?'

`Not specifically,' answered Thalius. He turned to his adviser. `You tell him,' he ordered. 'I find the complexities of the matter too much of a bore.’

‘Two Christians who live within Byzantium, Obadiah and Malaci by name, are to be crucified upon this afternoon,' began Gemellus. `They were arrested by the Pharisee and accused of gross heresy and sacrilege several days past. Ridiculously trumped-up charges, of course, but they have been handed over to the praefectus after judgment for execution.' Gemellus paused. 'We have something of a dilemma on our hands.’

Ian gave Gemellus a curious glance. 'You support this?' he asked, his voice raising in anger. Then he turned to the praefectus. 'You both support this outrage?'

`Not at all. If there were any way to save these men, then I should be suggesting it most strongly,' replied Gemellus. 'But, unfortunately...'

`Well, here's a thought,' Ian suggested. 'How about you just don't do it? You tell the Jews that their ideas are utterly nonsensical and that you won't kill two innocent men, simply because they don't believe what they believe.'

Thalius was taken aback by Ian's impassioned horror at the situation. 'I do not understand, my friend, why this offends you so,' he noted. 'You do not know these two unfortunates, do you?'

Àny needless death should offend anyone with an ounce of morality in them,' Ian replied, shocked at the callous Roman attitudes to life and death. 'These men have done you no wrong.’

`They are Christians,' said Gemellus defensively. 'By the very nature of their religion, they deny the true divinity of Caesar.'

'As do the Jews,' admitted Thalius, àlthough they are a little less, shall we say, "strident" about it?'

`That still doesn't give you the right to kill someone simply for their beliefs.'

Again, Thalius Maximus was surprised by such an argument. `But does not both the Jewish and Christian holy text support the taking of life?' he asked. "'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". I am told this is a very popular chant when Roman soldiers are those upon the receiving end of summary justice.'

'The Christians also have a doctrine that states that let he that is without sin cast the first stone,' Ian added. 'I am aware of the contradictions, even if they are not.’

A lengthy silence followed, Ian finding himself breathing heavily. He knew how red-faced with anger he was, and how harsh his voice must have sounded to his allies. One part of his conscience was cursing him for putting his future in danger over the lives of two men whom he had never met. And in all probability never would. But another part of Ian Chesterton was standing on a soapbox at Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, being loudly applauded by a crowd of concerned citizens.

`You provide wise and unexpected counsel, young Briton,' said Thalius at last. 'Your compassion and integrity do you great credit.

Unfortunately...’

At that point Ian actively stopped listening to what Thalius was saying. There was a lot of stuff about how the Pharisees were a powerful force within Byzantium and that Thalius needed a fight with the Jewish community far less than he needed the antipathy of the small Christian sect. He went on to say that the lives of two men were but a small price to pay for the continued peace