spot where the pathway turned suddenly to the south; here he stumbled
and fell for the sixth time. The fall was a dreadful one, but the
guards only struck him the harder to force him to get up, and no sooner
did he reach Calvary that he sank down again for the seventh time.

Simon of Cyrene was filled with indignation and pity;
notwithstanding his fatigue, he wished to remain that he might assist
Jesus, but the archers first reviled, and then drove him away, and he
soon after joined the body of disciples. The executioners then ordered
the workmen and the boys who had carried the instruments of the
execution to depart, and the Pharisees soon arrived, for they were on
horseback, and had taken the smooth and easy road which ran to the east
of Calvary. There was a fine view of the whole town of Jerusalem from
the top of Calvary. This top was circular, and about the size of an
ordinary ridingschool, surrounded by a low wall, and with five separate
entrances. This appeared to be the usual number in those parts, for
there were five roads at the baths, at the place where they baptised,
at the pool of Bethsaida, and there were likewise many towns with five
gates. In this, as in many other peculiarities of the Holy Land, there
was a deep prophetic signification; that number five, which so often
occurred, was a type of those five sacred wound of our Blessed Saviour,
which were to open to us the gates of Heaven.

The horsemen stopped on the west side of the mount, where the
declivity was not so steep; for the side up which the criminals were
brought was both rough and steep. About a hundred soldiers were
stationed on different parts of the mountain, and as space was
required, the thieves were not brought to the top, but ordered to halt
before they reached it, and to lie on the ground with their arms
fastened to their crosses. Soldiers stood around and guarded them,