Hi Loxuru,
thank you for your openness and for writing about your feelings at the sight of me.
When I sit and raise my head, I look at you spectators, wondering how you feel at the sight of the executed. For whatever reason, only a few come forward and speak to me.
I keep on reflecting the scene! Thieves Cire and Andrea got crucified since crucifixion is the legal sanction for that crime.
I fully agree with that, but yet, some doubts trouble me.
According to the sentence, they die a slow, agonizing death, while being fully exposed naked to the crowds.
Yes, the cruelty of crucifixion is intended as a deterrent!
So, knowing well this fate, when caught, while do people nevertheless commit that crime?
Imagine, I would steal an apple, one apple from a fruit vendor! The next moment, I think, I would be engulfed by fear! Suppose someone has spotted me!?
The judge will say “Stealing is stealing, once a thief, always a thief!”, and he will have me nailed to a cross, like Cire and Andrea, just for stealing one apple!
So, does the deterrence actually work? Or, otherwise, is the sentence of crucifixion rather intended as an instrument of state terror, rather than for enforcing criminal law?
Had Cire and Andrea, clearly “professional” thieves, never considered their possible fate? Did that prospect nevertheless made them go on?
When I watch them, the way they behave on their cross, I cannot stop myself having the impression that, I will not say they “enjoy” it, that would be a heavy overstatement. But somehow… well, a thief always commits his criminal acts in a “stealth” modus. Silently, unseen, unnoted and unwitnessed. Such is the total opposite to the current status of Cire and Andrea! Was the prospect of this end always subconsciously present in their minds throughout their criminal lives?
Some kind of unspoken desire for extreme public attention, as compensation for their activities that were not allowed to see the light of day?
Perhaps, they had shivered from fear too, after they had stolen their very first apple? But gradually, when they discovered that crime could pay, this has changed. Now, as they hang to their cross, they seem to behave like : “Yes, we were criminals, and now we got caught, but all these years we could commit our crimes unhindered and steal from you! Eat that!” Some sort of job pride.
I wish I could look into their head! There is only one way to find out for myself!
I look around! Crucifixions attract merchants! Is their an apple vendor around? Not that I cannot afford buying an apple, but I suddenly feel like craving for an apple! Getting me one for free! The crowd is focused on the crosses, so no one will probably notice me, when I simply steal one!?
Let’s start the experiment!
. I wonder if any female slaves were among them. I would guess there were a good number...camp followers, companions and so on.
) ...
