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A ONE HYENA’S HEART

Just before the night, the sunset’s glistening sparks of light on the water from the horizon is captivating, as if by magic from the precious eyes of the inhabitants, the foreboding sign of the approaching night, a gloomy scenery, bewitching the pleasing darkness to come. But like every other circumstance, that after the dark nightfall is the new dawn of day. The beginning of a new day had started and Herod, followed by tens of his slaves, left Augustus’s palace, in preparation for his long journey, to return to Jerusalem. It was a very busy day for everyone. Herod is far from being excited to leave Rome, a bit of agitation worried his heart from what the Emperor had asked of him about this newborn King, Jesus!

But before leaving the palace, Herod’s cunning nature and his devious intelligence had made him asked the Emperor, a request for his speedy return to Jerusalem. To travel by water from Tiber’s sea, for his reasoning that he can’t sit long enough to travel by land because of his painful illness. The Caesar complied and ordered to position the galley’s at Rome’s seaport. True that Herod is sick, but the integrity of his reasoning to travel by sea for his illness is not true. For his children, Aristobulus and Philip’s failed accusation towards him, combined with Antipater and Paulo’s connivance for his demise, to plan for his assassination made him concoct a ruthless scheme that quickly inflates one’s ego, his insane madness coming from his hellish heart.

—“My children know me very well,” he thought to himself, —“and if we travel by land, it is sure to happen and it cannot be prevented for them to think of escaping, and that is not hard to achieve. But travel by sea? Aha! It’s a different story, for no one can stop me to chain them to the ship’s prow, and in there they cannot leave unless I will it!”

The immediate preparation had come into actualization. Herod’s two sons was escorted to Tiber’s shores, riding the couchette’s carriage, guarded by his faithful slaves. Arriving at the Tiber’s shores, Herod ordered them to take his two sons along with him to the ship where he’s also boarded. The vessels they called galley’s are fast filling up, but the crew are still waiting for the Safety Committee for the ship launching to perform ceremonies before transferring the vessels into the water. The galleons are decorated with lavish richness like its’ ready for the great feasts. The main mast beside the coiled rope is covered with many flowers and tiny flags of various colors. The tripled layers of paddlers, sitting on their seats are holding their oars, raised half and half from the yellowish water, waiting for the signal or a command shout from the “comitre,” or the “captain,” to start the propeller and pushed the ship and began to voyage. The commandant on top of the “aftercastle” (mizzenmast on the large sailing ships) is afar. Whereas, the ship pilot and the “Pollero,” or the poulterer (chicken farmer), where this last one is carrying a cage with few chickens confined inside, these birds are needed considerably for the ceremonies.

Herod went upstairs at the aftercastle to led the corresponding ceremony. The ceremonial “ship launching” was necessary for the ship’s intended to invite good luck before transmitting the vessel into the water, but not until the ceremonies were brought into completion. A tradition to accompany the physical process with ceremonies which had been observed as public celebration and a solemn blessings in association with the “launch” itself. By one gesture of the commandant, the Safety Committee would beat the wood plank with his cane, signaling everybody to stand up and pray to their designated gods and goddesses. The pollero, after the prayers, had tossed a handful of wheats beside the cage as they freed these meek birds, rushing through, charging while pecking at their desired grains. Approaching the cage’s side is a highly regarded man with white beards, wearing an unusual clothing in absolute majestic color. An Arabian sack clothing with the purple stripe in full scarlet color, defined with gold crochet around the shawl; he is wearing a white bonnet on his head in a triangular shape, covered with cabalistic symbols. A hood is covering his entire noble head, and in his hand is a short cane.

The old man is what they called “Augur,” like a chief priest that can predict what’s coming, a seer, that Romans genuinely respect.

After observing how the chickens bountifully ate the grains, this old man raised his eyes to heaven, seemingly praying. Then whipped one of the chickens by his cane and shouted aloud to all the crew on board in all the three ships.

—“The chickens are eating good, and the grains are dropping from their beaks, scattering throughout the ground…………..a good sign………..a good news!”

A loud uproar from the three ships blasted away, rejoicing shouts for joy and celebration. Slaughtering few chickens is an invocation for a glorious journey. Sneezing or any interruptions from the commandant while performing the ceremony or seagulls flew across the ship where the rituals are being held is not a good sign, and the journey may not have been proceeded. Such a thing is how Roman’s blind faith works at that time.

The “Augur” or the “seer” perceived that the ceremonies had occurred without any trouble to foresee a disaster. Watching the clear blue sky is the reason for the Augur to give permission, the Safety Committee to launch the ships, leave the port and begin the journey.

Then the Augur left the ship without delay, leaving the ship, escorted back to the shore, riding a small boat. The Augur’s short distance from crossing the water, spurred the crew ships to bestow an honorable salute by giving him the exuberance of cheerfulness, shouting for joy and their blessings for the successful performance of the ceremony. Then the commandant proceed to give order to launch the galleons, and for this, the oarmaster or the “Comite” had to beat the wood plank once again with his cane to launch the sailing ships to push. At the given signal, the ships glided into the waters, a sublime spectacle of gracefulness and grandeur. The paddlers powered by their paddles delved into the deep water like it was restraint by one person. They simultaneously paddles, bringing hoarse rasps noise as the paddlers gouge deep into the water, moving into the water with such steadiness, majesty and exactness as every one’s heart are filled with joy and delight. The launching ships are propelling accordingly to the water currents, moving slowly to the surface of this yellowish water of Tiber going to the Tyrrhenian sea.

As soon as the sailing ships are barely emerging towards the sea, the crews raised the sails at once for the wind’s instinctive flows that occurs on a range scales favorable to their direction.

Herod is laying down on top of his big pillows, conversing with the commandant under the white linen shades designed for protection from the sun’s heat for the noble traveler. His two sons are tightly guarded by Cingo and his comrades at the other end of that ship, and the court had granted Herod the 4th commandment, known by the readers, as the wicked power in favor of the father. Herod pretends to embrace and follow Augustus’s advice, for in the last few days that they stayed in Rome, Herod’s showmanship to give his two sons so much love was outstanding that even the Caesar was deceived. Augustus truly believed that he had resolved father and son’s intense hatred from each other, but the cheating behavior of the Idumean misled him.

Herod is now safe from Paulo’s planned assassination with Antipater. Thank you for the untiring and unfailing service of his faithful slave Cingo; Herod is now calmly sailing, heading to his coastline, in complete confidence with the people surrounding him.

Just as soon as Herod ship’s longitudinal keel waddles, barely outlining the Mediterranean water, he immediately ordered his slaves to put chains in each of his son’s necks to prevent them from escaping. The commandants and Antonio, the centurion, were disgusted with what Herod had commanded. They did not expect and could not believe the sickening enactment Herod carried out. He is a true blood contingent, from the father’s heart to his two sons, but no one dares to obstruct or hinder. With this rude awakening, Aristobulus and Philip had perfectly understood the gruesome death that’s awaiting them. Still, they are brave, and in their youth, their mixed emotions of anger and hatred are flaring up, with an enormous feeling of horror for their sure ending. Curses came out from their guiltless lips with a smile filled with mockery, and in their eyes are the look of burning rage, a death glare. The three galleons had sailed for a few days more and perfectly reached the Phoenician’s shoreline. An hour after arriving the seaport, the paddlers left their seats, and brought the ships to tie them at the dock of the bay at Beirut’s harbor.

At this point, Herod told the ship’s commandant that he wanted to travel by land to Jerusalem, and he wanted to ride at his couchette carriage (litera). Leaving the galleon to travel by land, Herod bid goodbye to his crew ship and gave away tremendous amount of money in appreciation for the good services he obtained. Herod finally came up the shore followed by Antonio and his military units of one hundred soldiers.

With his escorts, this King who pays taxes walked through the shores welcomed by people from Beirut, the onlookers who came with great yearning to see something new and different from their eyes, unknowingly that their desire to see something unusual is a big terrible surprise, an unforgettable event that will shocked and shake their entire beings.

Herod then ordered his slaves to assemble his carriage with a couchette bed. After putting it all together, he helped himself to lay on top of those big pillows comfortably, like a rightful King. While Herod converses with Cingo, Antonio, the centurion, took his horse from the ship, for he is the lead escort of Herod through Jerusalem.

—“Obey my command Cingo,” Herod said to his slave, —“for I want to quicken my travel to Jerusalem to see my son Antipater.”

Cingo left immediately, leaving the carriage called “car” where Herod is riding. Cingo gathered along with other slaves, far and out of sight from the watchmen guarding the two prisoners tied with chains about their necks. The watchmen are protecting the surroundings, making sure that nothing would get out of hand, as they patiently waiting for their Lord’s command any moment now.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, as quickly as it happens, six slaves stood up from the shaky sand of some timber gables, a gallows for the hanging of criminals. The spectators were all flabbergasted and speechless, shocked from seeing Herod’s crazy slaves and the crazy blind servants of the cruel Ashkelon, went to the two prisoners and started tightening some thick solid rope around the unfortunate Aristobulus and Philip’s necks. Then the slaves, without mercy, dragged the two prisoners down the gallow, a crosspiece for the hanging of the criminals, and none dared to hinder or stop this kind of unbeknownst, pure evil work. The unfortunate and horrified Prince’s were hanged like rug dolls, while uttering curses until they expire from the whole time of their sufferings and torment. But their father, the wicked oppressor with a heart of stone, rigid than a rock, had watched the execution of his two sons like nothing matters. The brutal death of his two sons gave him so much delight in his heart, but the onlookers who witnessed the execution including the Roman soldiers were rattled, and screaming; some were enraged, while the others are crying from this awful, inhumane atrocity, expressing their horrendous emotions for what they had seen.

Then silence, everyone’s standing still. A loud shout from behind the curtain of Herod’s carriage window blasted in full force, everyone was rattled, he screamed the following:

—“Romans and Phoenicians, hear me out! That is the King’s punishment in Jerusalem to their traitor children! Let’s continue to Jericho! Go on to Jericho!” Herod’s loud announcement of command.

Everyone trembles from the blasts of Herod’s voice. His words are horrifying to Beirut’s believers and to the Capitol’s ignorant soldiers. Then he closed the curtains covering his carriage, and he carelessly laid down on top of his big pillows, comfortably.

The whole troops started to walk, including the committees. Tracing “Via Romana” road, they continue to Galilee and then to Samaria, pursuing the road to Idumean’s chosen city, Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Aristobulus and Philip’s corpses were left hanging at the gallow, their hair raised up in the air, their fierce bulged eyes are wide open, and their faces are distorted and darkened. Their bodies are convulsing in the middle of that shore’s soft sand, shaking as they drew their last breath. A period of time had gone by, and the crows from Lebanon had perceived the distinctive stench of the corpses carried by the gentle wind, transported smoothly through their hiding places. From the rock’s cavities where the crows hide, these natural predators flew through and found their way to these two Prince’s corpses, circling the gallows, creating the unceasing sounds of the cawing’s loud noise.

It’s like these creatures were invited for a special feasts given to them by Herod, where the prepared food is his dead children’s corpses.

With this abominable event and the horrifying intimidation they had experienced, these shocked Beirut’s children were upset by the unexpected bad event they had witnessed, but they finally regained their consciousness; they seemed to disappoint the hungry crows, in anticipating to eat the human flesh. For the good citizens had quietly managed to bury the corpses of these two unfortunate Prince.

Herod finally arrived at the city he held dear. Antonio and the terrorized soldiers are heartbroken throughout their journey and in grief from Herod’s monstrous vengeance, the one diabolic father, with no sense of reasoning. Everyone followed and acted accordingly, somber and miserable with their faces scowled, mixed with anger and disgust. The escorts are in unity following the carriage of their Lord, like following their friends hearse, the General’s corpse that got killed in a battlefield. The order they received from Augustus was to obey Herod. These unintelligent soldiers are skillful and best accustomed in battle array; they complied to follow Herod’s carriage, but with resentment and displeasure.

As soon as Herod arrived in Jericho, he ordered Verutidio immediately to travel to Jerusalem to arrest Antipater. The Roman General has the authority to arrest Antipater, and he was instructed to transport Antipater to Jericho garbed with iron chains. But the traitor Prince, had learned the safe return of his father to Jericho, a perfect understanding that his father had found out and destroyed his deadly plan. So, before the General had reached Jerusalem’s murals, Antipater knowing that his demise is realized, and in which the loss of his life is imminent, he escaped. The Prince change clothing to an ordinary garb, he covered his face completely with the hood and creep into the city in the middle of the night, slipping through the shadows of the darkest night, pursuing the road, with the moon’s lustrous light, as he hid from the watchful eyes. Antipater left the city, and thanks for the rapid fly-away horse he’s riding, he survived and came into safety. But his unfortunate conspirators were caught and jailed in “Antonia’s Fortress,” or “Tower of Antonia,” with their hands and feet bound with chains.

But the fiery Herod had found out the great escape of his son Antipater. He was furious and could not believe the quick wit of his son, his wild mindset stirred up his tyrannous savagery and his body started to convulse, he trembled and bursts out in anger; his fury of rage is so great that it resembles insanity. The beast who forgets the excellency of a one King, had brutally rent and tare his clothes from his body. His preceding illness had attacked him again, with a vengeful pain in his stomach. The extreme pain caused him to drop down the floor and rolled around like a wheel, with masses of bubbles foaming out his mouth, cursing and screaming blasphemies are fuming out from his unclean lips.

He is attuned, behaving accordingly as a wild beast, and there are only two people who can calm him and talk to him in this extreme and tormenting rampage; his grandson Achiab and Cingo, his slave. For it is really dangerous for anyone to speak to Herod in this time of seething eruption.

—“Achiab! Achiab!” The monstrous Idumean shouted as he set his ghastly sharpened eyes to this child, shaking in fear, standing beside him. —“If one of these days you had an opportunity to obtain a crown, remember Amulius’s story of Romulus and Remus. Kill my child! Kill! For the traitors are scheming to betray the King for his power and with his life!”

Achiab is his forefather’s caretaker; he assumes that those screams are the cause of the old man’s severe pain for his illness. His grandsire’s terrifying vast chasm nervously shook him in fear as he ran and took a cup of Herod’s medication. He immediately managed to effortful give the goblet with its’ substance to his grandsire and spoke these words at the same time, saying:

—“Take this grandpa, so that you can rest and relax.”

—“Ah!” The sick person said. —“Are you also one of those people who want to poison me?”

The child was stunned by Herod’s accusation; it hurts his feelings, and this caused him deep resentment. His face turned red and two drops of tears gushed forth his youthful cheeks, shamefully embarrassed. And these already stated that Achiab’s response to Herod’s claim was to take the cup of substance into his mouth and swallowed half of the goblet’s medication. Then he gave the other half back to his old man.

—“Go on grandsire, drink it!” The afreshly offer of Achiab to his old man.

Herod felt the embarrassment, cold blood poured down his whole body for doubting his grandson, he’s like a melting candle in front of his grandson silently weeping. He took the cup in silence and drank the rest of the substance from the goblet. He regretted his false allegation and in his mild voice, he spoke contending to hold his uncertain temper and forced to calm down his voice in a soft and gentle way.

—“Go on Achiab! Please leave, I want to be left alone with Cingo.”

The child left the room after kissing his grandsire’s forehead. The King was left alone with his slave Cingo; as Herod sat down to his big pillows, he fixed his blazing eyes towards Cingo, he firmly spoke with his solid voice and with his straightened hand, he pointed towards the door.

—“In Bethlehem Cingo, in Bethlehem, I adjure you to carry out the slaughter of the male children, ages two and younger within the vicinity of Bethlehem and its’ surrounding regions, that no one is left alive. I am the King of Juda, and I want that after my death, will my crown be transferred to my children.”

The massacre of the Holy innocents was the result of King Herod’s extreme paranoia and cruelty. Herod would do anything to protect his crown, including murdering all the little boys in Bethlehem. Herod could not allow a rival King to live, so Herod took no chances and had all the male children under two in Bethlehem, killed.

Cingo left without saying a word, in his mind, and without any hesitation, he will obediently execute his Lord’s command.

Herod was left alone in his room, whispering these words to himself:

—“Augustus want me find the child and send this Jesus to him like a King? For what? To grant Him all the honor and dignity of King’s victory?———–He may also want to grant HIM my crown!”

Then he gently caressed his glittering crown that’s always sitting beside him, while he delivered an irritating chuckles and spoke like this”

—“He’s not going to Rome, it can’t be, the dead cannot reign, cannot talk and cannot have vengeance!”