The Passion of Pontius Pilate (radio play)

In the ancient days of Biblical Rome, Ponitus Pilate, Prefect of the Providence of Judaea, watches as two men engage in a mock battle. He is soon joined by his old friend, Sejanus, acting emperor of Rome. The two talk about the decaying state of the Roman empire, but are soon interrupted by a horrific cry. One of the fighters in the mock battle now lies dead. His murder, Antonius, stands over him with a bloody sword, begging for forgiveness. Instead of forgiveness, Sejanus offers him glory. With Pilate’s encouragement Antonius joins Sejanus and the two men head back to Rome (with a short décor to the temple of Venus for quick romp). Cartaphilus, Pilate’s right hand man, joins his master now. Pilate orders his right hand to remove the stinking carcass of the dead fighter as it is already attracting the attention of flies. Cartaphilus goes to seek aid from one of the servants to help remove the dead man, leaving Pilate alone. But the man is not alone, as the flies linger. One of them bites Pilate on the hand. He curses at the creature, but in doing so he is confronted by a terrifying creature that frightens Pilate to his very core. Later, the man dismisses the frightening creature as a trick of the mind. He and Cartaphilus lie in bed together and discuss rumors of a man named Jesus who is making waves with the peasantry. Pilate is dismissive of the rumors. Cartaphilus is not so sure. The evening ends with Pilate telling his right hand man that he must return to his wife. Pilate’s wife, Claudia, jolts awake frightened by prophetic dreams also about Jesus. Pilate dismisses his wife’s dream as childish fantasy. Claudia begs her husband to listen, but Pilate is having none of it and leaves. In the early morning hours, Pilate walks the palace halls. There he meets a strange child dressed in a jester’s outfit. The jester reveals he is the same creature that frightened Pilate earlier in the afternoon. Pilate asks for the jester’s name. The fool tells the man to give him one for a reward. Pilate names the fool Morningstar. Now named, the jester informs Pilate how he can obtain a higher station in life, by killing his friend Sejanus. The next night Senjanus arrives in Judaea expecting a friendly gathering. Instead he is confronted by Cartaphilus and the Praetorian Guard who promptly slay Sejanus. Later Pilate and Cartaphilus conspire to vilify Sejanus to the public at large. Morningstar reappears asking Pilate to condemn Jesus to a slow agonizing death. Pilate agrees after being promised fame and fortune. That morning, Pilate ensures that Jesus is condemn to death with exaggerated claims of his guilt and terrible smell. Claudia arrives too late to save the Holy man, but nonetheless pleads with Jesus to spare her husband from damnation. The Holy man tells Claudia that Pilate will not be damned but will be forced to walk the earth until Judgment Day (ala The Wandering Jew). So ends the Passion of Pontius Pilate.