There is a distinction between a factual account, and one that is matter-of-fact. The veracity or otherwise of the accounts of the death of Jesus will be determined by personal belief. Here, however, we examine the way in which the language is used to frame it.
Mark’s narrative of the crucifixion presents a rapid,
condensed and utterly bleak picture. It reads more like restrained journalism
than an emotional and biased account. However, it is that very detached and
cold description that leaves readers to picture in their own minds the
humiliation and brutality that Jesus experienced – and to draw their own
conclusions.
What is remarkable about this account is its physicality: we see,
for example, spitting, striking, and twisting, forcing, heavy lifting and
running, crucifying, dying and ripping. Likewise, there is a powerful auditory
element with numerous instances of direct speech, direct command, verbal
mockery, shouting, blaspheming and scornful challenge.
Yet, in the midst of all of this, the one who barely utters a
word is Jesus himself.
Again, the translations are largely my own and stay as close
as possible to the original. Different editions of the Vulgate may have slight
variations in spellings and word order.
[15] Pīlātus autem volēns populō satisfacere dīmīsit illīs
Barabbān et trādidit Iēsum flagellīs caesum ut crucifīgerētur
- But Pilate, wanting to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, beaten with whips, in order that he might be crucified.
[i] trādō, -ere [3]: hand over, but the verb – especially in
military contexts – also implies an act of surrender. Pilate fears the repercussions
of not acceding to the demands not only of the crowd but also local religious
authorities. In other words, at this point at least, ‘mob rule’ wins.
[ii] Barabbās: an
example of a Greek-type noun; proper nouns that derive from Ancient Greek
sometimes retain the Greek case endings or the Greek endings are alternatives
to the Latin.
The noun is classified as 1st declension masculine; note [i] the
/n/ of the accusative and [ii] a vocative case ending that is not the same as
the nominative
Nom: Barabbās
Gen: Barabbae
Dat: Barabbae
Acc: Barabbān
Abl: Barabbā
Voc: Barabbā
20.08.24: follow-up; food and drink [12]; vocabulary [2]:
Greek-type nouns
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/200824-follow-up-food-and-drink-12.html
[iii] ut … crucifierētur | in order that he
might be crucified; subjunctive [purpose]
[16] mīlitēs autem dūxērunt eum intrō in ātrium praetōriī et
convocant tōtam cohortem
- But the soldiers led him inside into the courtyard of the praetorium*, and they call together the whole cohort.
* (here) the administrative headquarters at Jerusalem; some
translations render praetōrium as ‘palace’
[17] et induunt eum purpuram et inpōnunt eī
plectentēs spīneam corōnam
- And they clothe him in purple: and, twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it upon him.
[i] Note in [16] and [17] the use of the historical present:
convocant, induunt, inpōnunt giving a greater sense of
immediacy to the actions, in other words as if the reader were actually there.
[ii] induunt eum purpuram | they clothe him in
purple
The soldiers mock Jesus by dressing him in the colour
associated with kings and imperial authority. The famous Tyrian purple dye was
produced from the secretion of Mediterranean sea snails, especially species of
murex, vast numbers of which were needed to produce even a small quantity, thus
making purple garments symbols of wealth, prestige and power.
One commentator (Wessel) has suggested that it was a scarlet
military cloak: “a cast-off and faded rag, but with color enough left in it to
suggest the royal purple.”
18.07.24: level 1; bright white (and purple) politicians
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/180724-level-1-bright-white-politicians.html
[18] et coepērunt salūtāre eum: avē rēx Iūdaeōrum
- And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews.
i.e. a mocking perversion of the greeting traditionally
afforded to Romans of the highest authority
et coepērunt salūtāre eum: “avē rēx Iūdaeōrum”
There are frequent occurrences of direct speech rather than 3rd
person reporting which, not unlike the historical present, brings the reader
closer to the events.
[19] et percutiēbant caput eius harundine et cōnspuēbant
eum et pōnentēs genua adōrābant eum
- And they kept striking his head with a reed: and they kept spitting on him, and, bowing their knees, they worshipped him.
The actions presented in [18] – [19] do not happen quickly. What
we have here is relentless, varied, random and protracted.
[i] coepērunt salūtāre eum | they began to
salute him; there is, however, no suggestion as to when that stopped
[ii] The imperfect tense can convey:
(1) repeated action:
percutiēbant caput eius | kept (on) striking
his head
cōnspuēbant eum | kept (on) spitting on
him
The translation of ‘kept (on) …ing’ reflects the intensity of
what is nothing more than violent ‘schoolboy’ bullying performed by a callous
band of soldiers.
One translation of the line includes ‘again and again’ to
convey the sense of the imperfect tense.
(2) an action that continued for a period of time:
adorābant eum | they worshipped him [adored him; paid
homage to him]
We can imagine the soldiers engaging in lengthy and / or
varied displays of mock worship.
The translation of harundō, -inis [3/f] as
‘reed’ rather than ‘staff’ (as some versions have) nicely conveys a mock and
limp alternative of, for example, a sceptre. The reed and the crown of thorns debase
the conventional symbols of authority.
[iii] Note also the narration of events in threes, sometimes using
the same grammatical structure, a feature prominent in, for example, the
speeches of Cicero
et (1) percutiēbant caput eius harundine et (2) cōnspuēbant
eum et pōnentēs genua (3) adōrābant eum
That same structure occurs in the next line:
[20] et postquam (1) inlūsērunt eī (2) exuērunt
illum purpuram et (3) induērunt eum vestīmentīs suīs: ¦ et ēdūcunt illum
ut crucifīgerent eum.
- And after (1) they had mocked him, (2) they took off the purple from him and (3) they put his own garments on him: ¦ and they lead him out to crucify him.
[i] ut crucifīgerent eum | literally: in order
that they might crucify him = (in order) to crucify him; subjunctive [purpose]
[ii] Note: when two actions happen in the past – one after
another – English most often will use ‘had’ (the past perfect) to refer to the
action that took place first:
And after (1) they had mocked [past perfect]
him, (2) they took off … [simple past]
That is not the case in Latin: both actions are expressed
using the perfect tense:
et postquam (1) inlūsērunt [perfect] eī (2) exuērunt
[perfect] illum purpuram
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