ailers and soldiers. The mob
gathered round the building, but were soon displaced by a thousand
Roman soldiers, who were drawn up in good order and stationed there.
Although forbidden to leave their ranks, these soldiers nevertheless
did their utmost by laughter and applause to incite the cruel
executioners to redouble their insults; and as public applause gives
fresh energy to a comedian, so did their words of encouragement
increase tenfold the cruelty of these men.

In the middle of the court there stood the fragment of a pillar, and
on it was placed a very low stool which these cruel men maliciously
covered with sharp flints and bits of broken potsherds. Then they tore
off the garments of Jesus, thereby reopening all his wounds; threw over
his shoulders an old scarlet mantle which barely reached his knees;
dragged him to the seat prepared, and pushed him roughly down upon it,
having first placed the crown of thorns upon his head. The crown of
thorns was made of three branches plaited together, the greatest part
of the thorns being purposely turned inwards so as to pierce our Lord's
head. Having first placed these twisted branches on his forehead, they
tied them tightly together at the back of his head, and no sooner was
this accomplished to their satisfaction than they put a large reed into
his hand, doing all with derisive gravity as if they were really
crowning him king. They then seized the reed, and struck his head so
violently that his eyes were filled with blood; they knelt before him,
derided him, spat in his face, and buffeted him, saying at the same
time, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Then they threw down his stool, pulled him
up again from the ground on which he had fallen, and reseated him with
the greatest possible brutality.

It is quite impossible to describe the cruel outrages which were
thought of and perpetrated by these monsters under human form. The
sufferings of Jesus from thirst, caused by the fever which his wounds
and sufferings had brought on, were intense.11 He trembled all over,
his flesh was torn piecemeal, his tongue contracted, and the only
refreshment he received was the blood which trickled from his head on
to his parched lips. This shameful scene was protracted a full
half-hour, and the Roman soldiers continued during the whole time to
applaud and encourage the perpetration of still greater outrages.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Ecce Homo.

The cruel executioners then reconducted our Lor