Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 17
TheRomaneagles,theRomanstatues,eventhevotiveshieldsofPilate,weredeliberateinsultstotheirreligion.
TheRomantakingofthecensuswasanabomination.Yetithadtobedone,foritwasthebasisoftaxation.Butthereitwasagain.TaxationbytheStatewasacrimeagainsttheirlawandGod.Oh,thatLaw!ItwasnottheRomanlaw.Itwastheirlaw,whattheycalledGod’slaw.Therewerethezealots,whomurderedanybodywhobrokethislaw.Andforaprocuratortopunishazealotcaughtred-handedwastoraiseariotoraninsurrection.
Everything,withthesestrangepeople,wasdoneinthenameofGod.TherewerewhatweRomanscalledthethaumaturgi.Theyworkedmiraclestoprovedoctrine.Everhasitseemedtomeawitlessthingtoprovethemultiplicationtablebyturningastaffintoaserpent,orevenintotwoserpents.Yetthesethingsthethaumaturgidid,andalwaystotheexcitementofthecommonpeople.
Heavens,whatsectsandsects!Pharisees,Essenes,Sadducees—alegionofthem!Nosoonerdidtheystartwithanewquirkwhenitturnedpolitical.Coponius,procuratorfourthbeforePilate,hadaprettytimecrushingtheGauloniteseditionwhicharoseinthisfashionandspreaddownfromGamala.
InJerusalem,thatlasttimeIrodein,itwaseasytonotetheincreasingexcitementoftheJews.Theyranaboutincrowds,chatteringandspouting.
