Beloved Julia,
I received your letter of the 29th of last month. You tell that son of mine that I am highly displeased with him and that he and I are going to have a conversation about his actions the next time I see him. That conversation will probably end in me thrashing his little behind unless I hear reports from you that he has changed his ways.
I have nothing against him fighting other boys if he is defending himself. I have taught him how to do that. But I also thought I had impressed upon him that what I taught him was never to be used in anger or on a smaller or weaker boy. And now you tell me that he and his friends ganged up on another boy. I cannot tell you how angry that makes me. You tell Marcellus that I am perfectly prepared to teach him just exactly how tough he is when I get home. I have written Marcellus a letter telling him how disappointed in him I am, and that his number one goal in life right now is to please his Mother and Father.
For the moment, the following will have to do as a punishment. Marcellus is to stand up in front of all his class and apologize to the boy. Then he is to go to Uncle Claudius and tell him what he has done. He is to get Claudius to go with him to that boy's home and apologize to that boy's parents. As for any other punishments that you may wish to give him, do as you see fit.
And now that all that has been said, allow me to say just how much I love you. I do, you know. I know it can not be easy for you when I am away from home. But you have always persevered and never complained. I often think I complain more than you. But I know that you are there waiting for me. I know that you are smart and wise and able to handle anything that comes up. Have I ever told you just how much I respect you? More than most of the men I know and that includes some very high ranking officers throughout the Army. I hope that I may earn that same respect from you.
I do have a bit of news to tell you. Last week the Centurion came to me and said I was to pick a squad of 12 men for a special assignment. He would not tell me anything else other than we were to go to Caesarea and would be given our orders there. Well, I picked 12 of our best men and we rode over to the coast to Caesarea. When we arrived we were given rooms and told to wait until we were called for.
The Consul here is your Father's old friend Pontius Pilate. I asked if I could pay my respects to him and was told no, that he did not have time to see me right now. I thought that was rather rude but I said nothing. So we waited for two days and nothing happened.
On the morning of the third day we were sent for and ushered into a large meeting hall. Consul Pilate was there as were several members of his staff. We were told to sit and then Consul Pilate stood and began speaking. He asked me how I was and how my family was. (He asked me to be sure and remember him to you.) He then said he would be sure to write to your father that he had seen me. Then he got down to business.
He asked if we had heard of a Jew who was going around the countryside attracting large crowds. He said the man's name was Jesus Ben Joseph and that he had also been doing some alleged miracles. I kept quiet, not letting Consul Pilate know that I had seen the man, as I wanted to hear what the Consul had in mind first. Instead I asked him what sort of miracles he was talking about. The Consul said this man was going about the country healing people and no one knew how he was doing it. He had healed some men with Leprosy, had made some blind men see and some cripples walk. There was even a rumor this Jesus had brought a little dead girl back to life.
But it turns out that Consul Pilate's main concerns were not the alleged miracles but rather the large crowds that followed the man everywhere he went. Pilate just wants to be sure this man is not planning a rebellion. So, we are to go where this man goes, listen to what he says and report back to the Consul just what is going on. It could be an interesting mission. Just a handful of us and several thousand Jews who don't like us much. Still. I am looking forward to hearing what this man has to say. Somehow, I can't see him leading an army to march on Jerusalem.
So, beginning tomorrow we will be following this man wherever he goes and keeping an eye on him. I can't help but wonder about the fish, and the boy in the temple at Capernaum. As you know, I am a man who does not really believe in miracles and that sort of thing. Yet, when I consider that I have survived while others didn't . . .that is a sort of miracle in itself. Who am I to discount the possibility of miracles?
Aside from this little episode with Marcellus, I trust that everything is going all right for you and the kids. Has that hole in the roof been repaired yet? Be sure and get that done before winter comes. Go to Uncle Claudius if you have to. I am sure he knows someone who can take care of it. How is your garden coming along? I am sure you have many lovely flowers and plants growing in it. There are some very pretty flowers here that I have never seen before. If I can, I will get you some. I don't know if they will grow there but it cant hurt to try.
Well, the time has come for me to close this letter. I still have a lot to do to get ready for the journey tomorrow. Kiss my little Livia for me and tell her I love her. Come to think of it, I have decided I am a believer in miracles after all. The greatest miracles I know are my children. And why you, my beautiful wife, chose to share her life with a soldier, is the most mysterious and wonderful miracle ever.
Love,
Marcus
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