Their roots are in my heart. ACTE Then come away with me. SIMON My breast can nourish both this Judean and our kingdom. ACTE No, for this man’s spirit threatens to overcome you; they have called him king; there cannot be two kings, and you the lesser, in the world we plan. SIMON Not that he is a king but that he is a captive my heart flows most to him. ACTE Legions of captives in the empire wait for you to set them free. Shall you yourself be captive? PROCULA He was betrayed. ACTE [_To SIMON._] Look to it that you are not yourself betrayed by him. PROCULA Herod mocked him. ACTE [_To SIMON._] If you are now led astray you mock our Africa and the new world we plan there. SIMON Plan no more worlds if this man is destroyed. But he shall conquer Pilate. PROCULA Save him. Waken the mob. Breed riot. Take him from the soldiers. [_She suddenly looks upward off left back and gives a cry._] Pilate ascends to the outer judgment seat. [_She rushes to SIMON._] Burn the city if he is condemned. [_SIMON stands brooding motionless. PROCULA runs toward her doorway._] I’ll send to Pilate even on the judgment seat. [_She rushes into her house. SIMON moves after her as though he would follow._] ACTE [_Recalling him by a touch so that he turns._] The time is not yet ripe. A new sedition now suddenly bursting would dash down all our dreams. SIMON Pilate at last will listen. With such a pleader the Sufferer is safe. ACTE You are taken in this soothsayer’s mesh. SIMON He has not spoken to me. ACTE Has he not led you? SIMON He leads me most who suffers most injustice. ACTE And on that night when you were first led captive The lonely lions and the Libyan moon Watched over Africa, faithful to her, When you grew faithless. SIMON Africa shall triumph. This man, not I, not Battus, shall restore her. ACTE If Pilate pleases. SIMON He shall conquer Pilate. ACTE Shall he indeed? SIMON What’s there? [_A loud murmur of many voices has been heard at intervals in the Praetorium at left back during the past scene. This murmur has now increased into a roar out of which the cry “Crucify him! Crucify him!” rises. The cries and the roar suddenly become triumphant as SIMON listens. Then from the entrance at right there appears a fantastic impish figure bearing a great scourge. He is followed by another bearing a gorgeous scarlet robe and by a third bearing upon a cushion a crown of thorns._] SIMON What are these? THE MOCKER WITH THE SCOURGE A scourge for a prophet. THE MOCKER WITH THE CROWN OF THORNS A crown of thorns for a king. THE MOCKER WITH THE SCARLET ROBE A scarlet robe for a saviour.