deriding the royalty of Jesus, or from what men might term chance. It
was composed of five pieces of wood, exclusive of the inscription. I
saw many other things concerning the Cross, and the meaning of
different circumstances was also made known to me, but I have forgotten
all that. Judas returned, and said that Jesus was no longer in the
supper-room, but that he must certainly be on Mount Olivet, in the spot
where he was accustomed to pray. He requested that only a small number
of men might be sent with him, lest the disciples who were on the watch
should perceive anything and raise a sedition. Three hundred men were
to be stationed at the gates and in the streets of Ophel, a part of the
town situated to the south of the Temple, and along the valley of Millo
as far as the house of Annas, on the top of Mount Sion, in order to be
ready to send reinforcements if necessary, for, he said, all the people
of the lower class of Ophel were partisans of Jesus. The traitor
likewise bade them be careful, lest he should escape them--since he, by
mysterious means, had so often hidden himself in the mountain, and made
himself suddenly invisible to those around. He recommended them,
besides, to fasten him with a chain, and make use of certain magical
forms to prevent his breaking it. The Jews listened to all these pieces
of advice with scornful indifference, and replied, 'If we once have him
in our hands, we will take care not to let him go.'

Judas next began to make his arrangements with those who were to
accompany him. He wished to enter the garden before them, and embrace
and salute Jesus as if he were returning to him as his friend and
disciple, and then for the soldiers to run forward and seize the person
of Jesus. He was anxious that it should be thought they had come there
by chance, that so, when they had made their appearance, he might run
away like the other disciples and be no more heard of. He likewise
thought that, perhaps, a tumult would ensue, that the Apostles might