XIV

THE LETTER FROM ROME

The story owned by Herod and Herod alone. Viewer discretion is advised.

Herod brought Jerusalem the tradition from the Cesare’s City, his arrogance and his adornment of decorating. The Architects and the Carpenters from Greece that at the time are admired most by the well-renowned people in Rome, where he constantly use them and pay them good money to glamorize his Palace.

Herod employed thick slaves from Ethiopia, those children from the summery land of Libya, loyal like a hound to their master. They worship Herod like a true God. Herod hired more slaves, to employ them, those red skins slaves with meek and humble faces from Syria to harmonize the atmosphere.

Herod named his bedroom “Cubicle,” and “Ginneo” (Ginnel), to another room where he hides his valuable gems and the Crown Real.

When his minions for hire surrounds him in the Palace, he gets crazy for the pleasure of Baco (god of liquor), for he wants to drown himself from the effect of “Falerno and Chipre” (varieties of wines from Italy and Greece). He is delighted to call all the gods and goddesses of Homer in Olympus. He ignores those necessary places in town and the joyful Crete (Island in the Mediterranean), that brings liquors to the “long-horned silver idol,” whenever they held this great feast of booze party, where he outcry his soul torn by his transgressions.

When Herod lived in Rome, he truly favored the freedman (Libertos) traditions; where it is believed that they have nothing to think of but fun and festivity. So he brought those obscene traditions to Jerusalem. At that time, Rome was the World’s Master, where their notability are now exhausted from having fun and pleasures. Their Dignitaries have theaters, circus, games in gymnasiums; this is where they show their intellect, agility in front of the maidens, the exercises of those Martius’s members (Campus Martius, the training ground, and the exercise arena of the Roman Army), where the girls praised their bravery.

At that time, they had one hundred (100) gods and goddesses where they offer incense, and their circus place is to exercise and train their skills for what they called “Gladiators,” where they wrestle, stab and pierce each other until they die or succeed and win. To shed blood, and to satisfy their old-time town hobby, is their horrific show.

Life there is like a spring of merriment, a crazy and intoxicating delusion, a money spending spree. The purpose is to bring all the pleasures and completely forget the vital requirements needed for the souls. In other words, the pleasures of the flesh outwits their souls. Love and war are the only two they abide. Parties and dancing are their Paradise, their feeling of great pleasure here on earth. Luxuries are their manners that prevail and pride for all.

To die in battle holding swords in their hands is the most desirable victory, the greatest death, for the fate they yearn. Fatigue and tiresome are the inseparable two that consumed their evil hearts.

How can the Kingdom’s unrests and chaos flown and shifted to the opposite side, driven and transferred to Jerusalem, a common ending for the fall of a Mighty Empire?

The Holy City, peaceful and calm like the sea of Galilee in a clear summer night, the modest mother of Abraham’s grandchildren and Jacob, are coming out from their dear Temples, after praying and following their pure beliefs from their faithful hearts to their Parent’s Gods. These maidens are shy, and their faces are always covered with thick veils every time they are out, and at home, their hobbies are weaving linens, and their children are brought-up through breastfeeding of milk. Can this laid back City with conservative people imitate Rome? That immortal and unclean City of the world?

The chosen City, the pure and soft dove from Jordan, the modest Jerusalem, that’s been cursing the Loba’s children. (could it be that because Loba’s women can marry many husbands?)

Herod’s plan to infuse the reformation in Jerusalem did not happen. Like Sparta’s cannot be initiated, with all the King’s intent to become Athens. Where Mount Golgotha is truly belonged to Jesus Christ, and the Island of Delphi is for Apollo.

Upon entering Herod’s Palace, across the large hall is a room garnished and elaborated with decors. From one of the beds made of Ivory and covered with soft pillows in deep red color, is where the King of Jerusalem laid. A table in triangle shape made of marble from Paros Greece, is as white as snow covering Mount Sabino’s peak. At the tabletop is rested a lamp in eagle form with outspread wings, a sparkling light coming out from its’ beak, is the Roman’s emblem. A Laurel Crown is sitting on top of a small pillow beside the lamp.

Herod is in a sitting position, and his head drooped down with his two hands covering his face, like he wants to hide his face. He is shaking like being lynched from the severe pain, and he is like being dissected inside his body.

The King is wearing a tunic in amaranth color (reddish-rose), wide and long through his heels, wrinkled from being tightened in the waist by the leather belt decorated with small silver stars scattered all around. A black veil embroidered with gold fastened at the top back side of his head, covering his thick black hair, while the full front area is center-parted that exposed his rough white curly hair. Laid on his shoulders are sparkling gold earrings dangling on his ears. His white beard and bushy eyebrows, the sunken eyes burning from within, his deep tawny skin, and thin wrinkled face is giving Herod the unbelievable and striking wild stance.

By observing Herod, anyone will believe that he is truly a grim person, with a soul of steel, and can be able to watch his family and descendants be slaughtered in front of him, with an empty eyes and a blank face, the soul is cold.

His big size feet are wearing sandals from Rome, it is engraved with brilliant diamonds with some gold buttons. Not far from his bed are two individuals leaning towards the full Divan bed covered with silks; the outskirts are hemmed with beautifying silver. These two settled people are a man and a woman. The woman is Salome, Herod’s sister fourteen years of age and truly very beautiful, but her demeanor resembles her brother’s face, hard and tough in appearance. The man is Alejo, Salome’s husband; he features a gentle face, and a cold gaze; he is stable in height and with a very white skin. In silence, they are reticent like they are in fear to stimulate the Grand Monarch’s serenity. The big cower of respect is portrayed clearly on their faces.

Alejo is holding a roll of paper, and from time to time, Salome would get-up to sprinkle some sweet scented charcoals mashed with dried leaves from Lebanon to a small Incense burner made of silver that give sweet scents of aroma to fill the room. Then silence again. The frequent snoring accompanied by a sigh of nightmares is the burden fleeing Herod’s chest, the only sounds that break the silence.

At last, Herod is awakened. He lifted-up himself and sat on his big pillow, and from that, the King’s movement alerted the couple that takes care of him and abruptly stand-up. Herod’s hands that ordered to kill Hyrcanus moved slightly away from his face and re-arranged his entangled grayed hair intertwined all over his scary face and throw a fierce glance in the entire room. Those eyes that resembles the Tiger’s eyes looking for a prey. The lighted beaming lamp strikes Herod’s face and shown on his broad and burnt forehead are those crisscrossed wrinkles, and from every line of each are the crimes he committed hiding beneath which doth worry his mind and made him remorseful. His protruded cheekbones, crooked nose, decussated beard, and small sparkling eyes gave him the horrible and wild look that can give chills to everyone who witnessed and saw his appearance.

Sixty years are buried from that dark soul, covered with those frightful crimes. His old age is disgusting and gruesome. Rounded and yellowish blotches scattered all over his face, deadly fermented fumes are coming out from him, a gruesome disease that is slowly killing him. It seems that those bruises and seething vapor coming out from within are his evil deeds grown weary, perhaps from molding his evil heart to good, but it all came out to his face to give him the grisly and ugly appearance like his soul.

Then Herod looked around. He observed and filled with worries, that all that surrounds him seemed terrified, a paranoid feeling from all the drugs he’s taking. Then he slowly went on and as he glared around, he saw that his Laurel Crown was laying at the tabletop; he transfixed his eyes on that Crown, and observed it with admiration for quite a while, then spoke like his voice is coming from out of the cave, and he is talking to himself:

—“My children are yearning………..that they want to being crowned in the near future……….and they have accomplices, the City Doctors are their accomplicess, those traitors!……..Oh! If I am still alive by tomorrow and those Doctor’s knowledge are truly beneficial, oh, but no they are not capable to cure me anymore. In that case, I will order them to hang on my Palace’s door, those thick Doctors that sell treatments for cures but they are neglecting their King and left to die soon at the corners of my room.”

Then he faced his brother-in-law and continued to talk:

—“Did you hear Alejo? As early as possible by tomorrow, do not forget, I want all the Doctors to hang because their knowledge to cure can do nothing, and I am tremendously suffering………tremendous suffering! This pain is so extreme! It is like I have a venomous snake in my stomach, one in the heart and one more in my brain, the unending gnawing pain and chewing. What’s the use of being a King if I have to endure this kind of pain?”

When Salome heard this, she immediately took the silver flask with drugs in it. She put two drops of medication in a silver cup and gave it to his brother, and at the same time she said these words:

—“Drink this my brother, this can calm down your pain for a little while.”

The sick King took the cup, and after he looked at the cup containing drugs, he said in a hoarse voice:

—“I know you’re not going to betray me because you love me and your husband too; you are the only two I can trust and consider my relatives. I would like to repay your service to me. We shall see.

Then like a one shot drink, he swallowed what’s in the cup.

—“But!” Herod continued. —“My children in Rome with all their heart, why don’t they offer me one black female, in particular a mother (human sacrifice), at the altar of Aesculapius (serpent-entwined god), and so I could get better and regained my strength again?”

—“Your children,” Alejo replied, then he went near to the sick King laid on his bed. —“Instead of praying for your recovery, they betrayed you and formally charged you to Caesar Augusto.”

—“Charged me?” Herod bolted-up and slammed himself, sitting at the edge of his bed.

—“For what reason?”

—“This paper will explain it to you.” Then Alejo handed him a rolled parchment of paper he is holding.

Herod took the paper and came near to the lamp on the table, and while untying the rolled parchment, he is whispering to himself like this:

—“Let me see what my beloved children complained against their father.” Followed with his evil smile, he read the letter and with a scary voice, he spoke these words:

—“Ah!……………they’d reported me and denouncing me to Caesar, that I am a murderer and oppressive, they even said that I ordered to execute their mother Mariamne and their grandmother Alexandra with no reason but just a hobby to kill people; because I am simply a King that pays taxes, and Augusto ordained me to defend myself………I am going, I am going my children, but you’re all going to be miserable!”

While saying these words, his eyes all of a sudden turned sharp, like a two bolt of lightnings strike his two eyes. His teeth are gnashing, and it sounds like grinding stones, with his intense anger that causes him to crunched and crumpled those papers with his hands that’s looked almost like bones.

—“My brother,” said Salome in a sweet smile and a loving voice, —“forget your children and Caesar, think of your recovery.”

—“You’ve got the reason Salome,” Herod responded. —“Alejo should not have given me this letter.” Then he threw the crumpled papers like its’ nothing important.

—“The Emperor sent it,” his brother-in-law explained, then bowed his head.

—“Yes! said Herod. —“The Emperor made me rise and soar from this Throne. He pushed me to ascend to this level where I am sitting right now while sending him tons of gold for payment for this position. This is why I am the King of Juda, and I am the only one that can judge and can give justice to this land that I occupy and dominate; this land is truly mine. I performed and ordered many killings, brutal acts, and executions because I have enough reasons, but I am going to Rome; it is my obligation to defend myself.”

—“Am I afraid before my rebellious children? NO! If Augusto would not give me any significance and a chance to my reasoning, and he favored them, with no regards and no respect, we will argue, and god will take charge to judge.”

One slave from Ethiopia that looks like a drop of tint is heroically dressed-up, suddenly appeared after parting the room’s curtain that cover the door.

—“What do you want Cingo?” Herod asked him. —“Does my beloved slave need something from his Lord?”

—“Verutidio, a freed slave from Rome, the Army General from the foreign country hope to talk to you right away.” the negro replied.

—“Verutidio is my only friend, but I am sick, and I don’t want anything, did you hear me? I need to rest and to remain alone.” said Herod.

—“That’s what I said my Lord.” Cingo explained. —“But he insists on getting in, and he truly needs to tell you something very important.

—“Go on, let him in. That unpleasant worshipping goddess of Cybele (goddess of primal nature), and not at any time offered anything to god Cybele, not even one dove at Purity’s Shrine and not even a compassion to his sick King.” Herod uttered these words like a jest, and the slave understood and went to let know his Lord’s response.

After a few seconds, the Roman General went in into the Jewish King’s room; Herod straightened-up his hand towards Verutidio, and Verutidio kissed his hand not for respect but for showmanship, because that is a one unavoidable ritual. Verutidio’s actions are truly respectable, a proud face and a superb scarf tightened by a gold flower with diamonds around it sewed at the top of his shoulder. With no regards, Verutidio pulled a soft pillow and placed it beside the King’s bed rest; after he sat down, Verutidio then gave respect by saying these words:

—“Marte for war, Apollo is for peace, may they protect the friends and allies of my Lord Caesar.” Verutidio said.

—“May he hear you.” said Herod, and he continued to talk.

—“What is the important news that brought you here to my room?” Herod asked.

—“King of Jerusalem,” replied the General. —“Get up and leave your bed, forget your afflictions, because in your City came the “Three Magi Kings,” followed by one dignified escort, and guided by a one Star, saying that they came here looking for Juda’s King, a Messiah, announced by the Prophets, recently arrived into this world.”

Herod suddenly, shuddered and turned pale; then he slides from his bed; he got up and walked to Verutidio’s side and stand beside him. In an instant, Salome and Alejo came to support Herod, the weak King, but Herod ignored and thrust them aside. From under his pillow, he took his walking stick, a silver cane, and hit a steel iron; this created a vibrating sound, the ringing sounds that reached the Palace’s farthest corners.

Came rushing and like a supernatural occurrence, Cingo appeared, followed by a pack of slaves in the King’s room. Cingo, Herod’s beloved slave, is genuinely from Africa, black like a crow’s wings and strong like the athlete’s weightlifters.

As a child of this Lord with pool of treasures, there is no other God, no more law, and no love but his Lord Herod. The King’s love for Jerusalem and to Cingo is more than a devotion to his own self. Cingo is like his one strong arm. Herod’s enemies tried to bribe and pay this fierce African’s sincere loyalty, but these enemies only bought their death because Cingo cannot be convinced to betray his Lord and be a traitor. This fiery African that sleeps at the foot of his Lord’s bed and his hands are often holding his sword’s handle, ready to strike anyone who gets their way to his Lord’s and his ears are often alerted like a faithful fido.

When Herod saw Cingo appeared at the door of his room, he smiled. He knows that no one can get near him without passing through Cingo’s dead body. Herod waved and made gestures to Cingo to wait; the slave then bowed down his head to obey the order.

—“Where are those Kings you are talking about?” Herod asked Verutidio.

—“They’d pitched their tents beside the rubbles, near the Palace’s ruined doors of David.” the General replied.

—“Cingo light up those lamps sticky wicks.” Herod commanded. —“Gather all my Herodians and bring all these foreigners here.”

Cingo left right away, followed by some slaves.

—“And you Alejo,” Herod said to his brother-in-law. —“Assemble all the high priests and the City leaders, those intelligence that knows the Hebrew prophecies and bring them all in this room.”

Alejo obeyed without a word.

—“And you, brave Verutidio, put all your armies together and spread them at my Palace’s front yard. And you my beloved sister Salome, can you make it happen to refer to all the Doctors of this City about the cure and fast recovery of your pitiful brother?” Herod plead.

Everyone went to obey the command of Jerusalem’s King. Herod was left alone, and after a few seconds, were like a stump, standing still, his eyes are like hypnotized, transfixed to a carpet in his room, then he sighs and slumps his body to sit on his messy bed, whispering these words:

—“What is this newborn King?”

—“Oh!…………….He will be sorry and miserable once he fell into my hands!”

Then he stretched his arms and placed them on a Crown rested at the marble’s tabletop and continued to talk:

—“This Crown is mine! Enough to desire and pay the price of his head. He is pitiful to behold and look at this with wanting, because if he tries to take this from my forehead for a grab!”…………….!!