Bulgakov's inserted story about Pilate...
is apocryphal,
far from the gospel. The main task
the writer was to portray a man
"washing his hands", which thereby
betrays himself.
A. Men 1
Pontius Pilate 2 is a real historical figure. Pontius Pilate was the procurator of Judea in 26-36. AD "Bulgakov's Pontius Pilate is greatly ennobled in comparison with the prototype, so his bribery and desire for profit are hidden in the subtext. It is known that it was precisely because of the exorbitant exactions from the population that Pilate was eventually removed from his post" 3 .
According to medieval German legend, the procurator was the son of the astrologer king Ata and the daughter of the miller Pyla, who lived in Rhineland Germany. Once At, being in the course, learned from the stars that the child conceived by him would immediately become powerful and famous. The miller's daughter Pila was brought to the king. Pilate got his name from the addition of their names. The procurator received the nickname Golden Spear, obviously, for a sharp eye and for his love of gold.
The posthumous fate of Pilate is connected with another legend. In the article "Pilate" of the encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, the fate of the fifth procurator of Judea was associated with the name of the mountain of the same name in the Swiss Alps, where "he seems to still appear on Good Friday and wash his hands, trying in vain to cleanse himself of complicity in a terrible crime."
The story of Pilate goes back to the gospel story (see the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 27:19) about Pilate's warning by his wife, who advises her husband not to harm the righteous man she saw in a dream, otherwise he, Pilate, will have to suffer for his careless actions. It is symbolic that the disease of the procurator, hemicrania (migraine), was aggravated by rose oil - rose oil: a red rose is a symbol of the pains of the cross and the subsequent resurrection of Christ 4 .
The motive of Pilate's hesitation, fear, a direct threat to him from the Jews - the inhabitants of the city of Yershalaim, hated by the procurator - is also contained in some Gospels, in the Gospel of John (see chapter 19):
"6. When the chief priests and ministers saw him, they cried out: crucify him, crucify him! Pilate says to them: you take him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him.
7. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and according to our law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God.
8. Pilate, hearing this word, was more afraid ...
12. From now on Pilate sought to let Him go. The Jews shouted: if you let him go, you are not a friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself a king is opposed to Caesar...
15. But they cried out: Take it, take it, crucify Him! Pilate says to them: Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar.
16. Then at last he handed him over to them to be crucified[emphasis added by me. - VC.]".
M. Bulgakov in his novel unfolds, in fact, a deep gospel plot of doubt, fear and, in the end, betrayal by Pilate of Jesus. The Gospel of John is already talking about betrayal, since Pontius "found no fault in Him [Jesus]" and "sought to let him go."
Pontius Pilate in the image of M. Bulgakov is a complex, dramatic character. Yeshua in the novel preaches: "All power is violence against people ... the time will come when there will be no power of either Caesar or any other power. Man will pass into the realm of truth and justice, where no power will be needed at all". For fear of denunciation, fear of ruining his career, Pilate approves the verdict, and Yeshua is executed. He does evil under the pressure of circumstances that he could not resist, and then all his life and beyond - for "twelve thousand moons" - repents of this. The colors of the clothes are symbolic (see the second chapter) of Pilate: he went out "to the covered colonnade between the two wings of the palace of Herod the Great" "in a white cloak with bloody lining". The very combination of white (the color of purity and innocence) and blood red is already perceived as a tragic omen.
But the procurator 5 is trying to at least partially atone for his guilt before an innocent wandering philosopher. By order of Pontius Pilate, Yeshua's suffering was reduced: he was pierced with a spear. Following the secret order of the procurator, they kill Judas.
At the request of the Master and Margarita, Pontius Pilate in the last chapter of the novel receives liberation and forgiveness, and together with Yeshua, talking, he leaves along the lunar road. The idea of forgiveness and mercy associated with the image of Pilate is one of the central ones in the novel "The Master and Margarita", and it completes the last - 32nd chapter of the novel: "This hero has gone into the abyss, gone forever, forgiven on Sunday night the son of the astrologer king, the cruel fifth procurator of Judea, the equestrian Pontius Pilate [emphasis mine. - VC.]".
Read also other articles on the work of M.A. Bulgakov and the analysis of the novel "The Master and Margarita":
"Master and Margarita".
There are too many white spots in the biography of Pontius Pilate, so part of his life is still a mystery for researchers, which master historians are trying to unravel. Pontius Pilate comes from the equestrian class. This information has been provided by several sources.
There are sources that say that Pontius Pilate was born in the year 10. The city of Lugdune in Gaul became the patrimony of the future procurator. In the modern world, this settlement is the French Lyon. Researchers claim that "Pontius" is the name that was given at birth to a man, indicating the Roman family of Pontius.
Already in his adult years, the man ended up in the position of procurator of Judea, replacing Valery Grat in this post. This epochal event took place in 26 AD.
Procurator of Judea
In literature, Pontius Pilate appears to readers as a cruel man. The contemporaries of the procurator, on the other hand, give the man a slightly different characterization: a stubborn, ruthless, tough, rude, aggressive "beast" who had no moral boundaries and barriers.
Pontius Pilate entered the post of procurator of Judea at the behest of his own father-in-law. But, being a cruel person who hates Jews, the first thing he decided to do was show who was in charge in the Holy Land. Therefore, standards appeared here, on which images of the emperor were placed.
Religious laws were alien to Pilate. This led to a conflict that did not end after the story with the standards, but flared up even more because of the announcement of the construction of an aqueduct in Jerusalem.
The main act during his work as a prosecutor was the trial of Jesus Christ. This situation happened on the eve of the Jewish Passover. For the sake of searching for the truth, Pilate arrived in Jerusalem. They arrested Jesus on the night of Thursday to Friday, after which they brought the man to the Sanhedrin. The elders wanted to destroy the Savior, but the procurator of Judea always had the last word.
The main goal of the Sanhedrin was to create the image of Christ as a person who was a danger to the emperor. Anna was the first to speak at the trial, after which other members of the Sanhedrin arranged an interrogation. During the interrogation, Jesus gave arguments that destroyed the image created by the high priest. Christ talked about how he never hid his own life, faith and preaching.
The priests offered Pontius Pilate to accuse Jesus Christ of blasphemy and incitement to rebellion, but proof was required. Then false evidence came to the aid of the accusers. The Savior, as the Jews called Jesus, did not utter a word in his defense. This caused even more indignation on the part of the Sanhedrin.
The Council sentenced Christ to death, but this decision was not final, since the final point in similar cases could only be put by the procurator. And then he appeared - Pontius Pilate, dressed in a snow-white cloak. This action was later called "Pilate's court".
Jesus was brought before the procurator early in the morning. Now the fate of Christ depended entirely on the man in the cloak. The Gospel says that during the trial, Jesus was subjected to torture more than once, including the laying on of a crown of thorns and scourging. The procurator did not want to interfere in this difficult matter, but there were no opportunities to avoid a trial.
The collected evidence of Jesus' guilt seemed insufficient to Pilate, so the procurator denied the death penalty three times. But the Sanhedrin did not agree with this decision, so they provided a new version of the accusation related to politics. Pilate was informed that Christ considers himself the King of the Jews, and this is a dangerous crime, as it threatens the emperor.
This was not enough, because in the last conversation with Jesus, Pontius realized that there was no fault for this person, and the accusations were far-fetched. But at the end of the conversation, Christ announced the royal origin, noted in the genealogy. This was the last straw for Pilate, so the procurator sent Jesus to be scourged.
At the same time, a servant addressed Pontius with a message from his wife, who had a prophetic dream. According to the woman, Pilate should not endure the punishment of the Righteous, otherwise he could suffer himself. But the verdict was carried out: Christ was beaten with scourges with lead spikes, dressed up in clownish outfits, and a wreath of thorns was put on his head.
But even this did not stop people from indignation. The public urged the procurator to pass a more serious sentence. Pontius Pilate could not disobey the people because of a certain amount of cowardice, so he decided to execute Jesus Christ. After this "crime", the procurator underwent a procedure for washing his hands. This made it possible to fix non-involvement in the committed murder.
Personal life
Historical references confirm that Pontius Pilate was married to Claudia Procula. The wife of the famous procurator was the illegitimate daughter of the emperor Tiberius, respectively, the granddaughter of the ruler.
Many years later, Claudia came to Christianity. After his death, Procula was canonized as a saint. Every year, the wife of Pontius Pilate is honored on November 9th.
Death
The execution of Jesus Christ did not pass without a trace for Pontius Pilate. The procurator was forced to leave the Holy Land and go to Gaul. This is the only reliable information about the last stage of a man's life. Historians believe that Pontius Pilate's conscience did not allow him to continue to live in peace, so the procurator committed suicide.
Other sources say that after exiling to Gaul, Nero signed a decree on the need to punish the ex-procurator. The man was to be executed. No man can resist the emperor. According to other sources, Pilate died as a result of suicide, after which the body of Pontius was found in the river. It happened on one of the high mountain lakes of the Alps.
Image in culture
In culture, the image of Pontius Pilate is used regularly. But the most striking is still considered the work of Mikhail Bulgakov "Master and Margarita". Here Pontius Pilate is the main villain who destroyed Jesus Christ. The author tells in one of the parts of the novel about the meeting of Yeshua Ga-Notsri, who preached good, and the procurator.
The position of Pilate meant that Pontius was required to do justice to the accused. But the pressure of society did not always allow it to remain so. Once the procurator wanted to punish Judas, who had betrayed Yeshua. But this caused a storm of emotions not among the people, but in the soul of Pontius Pilate. Doubts torn apart the procurator.
Kirill Lavrov as Pontius Pilate in The Master and Margarita The book "The Master and Margarita" has long been "disassembled" into quotes that appear on social networks. The author raised to the surface those same eternal questions about good and evil, justice and betrayal.
The novel "The Master and Margarita" received several adaptations. The first film was presented to the public in 1972. After 17 years, the audience got acquainted with a new vision of Bulgakov's book, presented by the director. The television series, which was released on Russian screens already in 2005, gained great popularity. Pontius Pilate in this novel on TV was played by a famous Soviet actor.
Memory
- 1898 - "The Game of Passion"
- 1916 - "Christ"
- 1927 - "King of kings"
- 1942 - "Jesus of Nazareth"
- 1953 - "The Shroud"
- 1956 - "Pontius Pilate"
- 1972 - "Pilate and others"
- 1988 - "The Last Temptation of Christ"
- 1999 - "Jesus"
- 2004 - "The Passion of the Christ"
- 2005 - Master and Margarita
- 2010 - "Ben-Hur"
In the works of Russian writers, the problem of power and the responsibility associated with it occupies a special place. After all, literature is for any thinking and talented person a way to express their attitude to reality and an opinion about how it should be. That is why writers portray the powerful of this world, and not always in the form that would be convenient and beneficial to the latter. Those in power and their actions are often opposed to various aspects of society, primarily its moral standards.
This is exactly what we see when analyzing the image of Pontius Pilate, one of the main characters in the novel The Master and Margarita. How does he appear to the reader? “In a white cloak with bloody lining” - this is the first phrase with which the author describes his hero, the fifth procurator of Judea. And this phrase, despite its brevity, contains a deep symbolic meaning. However, in order to draw any conclusions, it is necessary to figure out who the procurator is.
The "novel within a novel" written by the Master takes place in the times described in the New Testament. Judea at that time was under the rule of the Roman Empire. Procurator - this was the name of the position of the governor of Rome in the captured state, in fact, the first person in Judea.
The colors of the procurator's cloak symbolically characterize Roman power. White is her dominant color. It means greatness, and in addition - purity and infallibility. Not only the lords of antiquity, but also of later eras, liked to hide behind such concepts: it was not for nothing that Woland said that people had not changed at all in two thousand years. The red lining, that is, the lining, symbolizes, as it were, the reverse side of power.
It is no coincidence that Bulgakov chose not the word “red” or “scarlet” to describe the color, but “bloody”. Thus, even the first phrases describing Pontius Pilate characterize the power that he represents, and therefore outline what kind of person can embody it.
The next characteristic of the procurator is the description of his movements: he walked with a "shuffling cavalry gait." This seemingly insignificant detail is not very important, as it testifies that the procurator is a military man, a soldier. Of course, this also leaves an imprint on his character and makes the image more complete, as well as a dislike for the smell of rose oil and the headaches associated with it.
However, these are all external characteristics. The author gives us the opportunity to look into the soul of his hero much deeper. Who is he? Indeed, this is an old soldier who went through the war. He was awarded his high appointment not for nobility, because his mother was the daughter of a miller, which means that she was a commoner. He received his post for his own merits, and perhaps for sins: it is not for nothing that he does not like the country he is forced to rule.
There is nothing surprising in the fact that this stern person values loyalty above all else. That is why he has only one close creature in the world, and even that is not a person. Banga is the procurator's dog, a huge and fearless beast, infinitely trusting his master: from a thunderstorm, the only thing he is afraid of, the dog seeks protection from the procurator.
However, the company of a dog can be enough for just a person, especially a closed one, but neither the commander, who was Pilate, nor the politician who he had to become, is enough. One way or another, he needs dedicated people who can be trusted. That is why he brought the centurion Mark Ratslayer closer to him, with whom he went through the war together. This man is valuable to the procurator in the same way as a dog - devotion: after all, once Pilate saved his life. True, at the moment of salvation, in battle, he hardly thought that he had found himself a devoted servant. Then it was just a commander who believed that the life of a subordinate was valuable enough to protect. This characterizes Pilate not as a politician or even as a soldier, but as a person.
Mark Ratslayer, for all his devotion, was useful to the procurator only as a soldier. The second person whom Pilate brought close to him was Aphranius, head of the secret police of Yershalaim, intelligent, understanding the chief perfectly. Unlike the centurion, he did not owe anything to the procurator. On the contrary, Pilate himself trusted him. This testifies not only to his ability to evaluate people according to their merits, but also to how he changed after meeting Yeshua Ha-Nozri: before that, he hardly trusted people. Best of all, Bulgakov characterizes him through the mouth of Yeshua: "You are too closed off and have completely lost faith in people."
It was precisely because of this assessment, expressed directly in the eye, that he became interested in Yeshua, who was brought before him as a defendant. The procurator became curious about who everyone, including even him, his judge, who in Yershalaim was called in a whisper "a ferocious monster", can perceive as a "kind person". After all, he himself did not consider anyone good. However, Pilate was smart enough and able to understand someone else's point of view. Therefore, convinced that even beatings could not change the opinion of his defendant, he began to treat the words of a wandering preacher with interest. This interest led him to ask the defendant questions related not to the essence of the case, but to the philosophy that he preached. And in the end, Pilate came to respect Yeshua and his views.
Did he believe in the God the preacher was talking about? Consciously - no: after all, he did not renounce, like Matthew Levi, his rank, position and wealth. Even the miracle that Yeshua performed, curing the procurator of a headache, did not make him change his religious views. He did not attribute his healing to the category of miracles, but suggested that his defendant was a "great physician." However, even during the trial, thoughts “incoherent and unusual” flashed through his head about “there must certainly be immortality.” This suggests that, without becoming an adherent of the new religion, he believed in his soul what the defendant said.
The procurator admitted that there was a certain amount of truth in Ga-Notsri's words. Pilate was attracted to his philosophy in many ways, and he went on and on asking questions that judges usually do not ask the accused. And he learned and accepted the principles of this philosophy much more fully than Matthew Levi, who considered himself a disciple of Yeshua. After all, the procurator, who had changed and became wiser, quite deservedly reproached the former tax collector: "You did not learn anything from what he taught you."
True, when entering into a discussion with Yeshua, Pilate knew that nothing threatened him: after all, they spoke Greek, a language that no one knew except the two of them. Would the procurator ask questions if this were not so? Perhaps not: after all, he was an experienced politician. Consequently, he perfectly understood that he, the governor of the Roman Empire, was not very favored by the local authorities - both secular, in the person of King Herod, and religious, represented by the Holy Sanhedrin and its head, high priest Caifa. He knew that if the opportunity arose, he would be executed in the same way that Yeshua was going to be executed.
But despite this, he did everything possible to save the preacher. Pilate argued that his guilt was not great, that Ha-Notsri was crazy. How his attitude towards Yeshua has changed since the first meeting can be assessed by the verdict: he proposed replacing the death penalty with “imprisonment in Kasaria Stratonova on the Mediterranean Sea, that is, exactly where the procurator’s residence is.” The simple curiosity that Pilate felt for this unusual person was replaced by sympathy, and he wanted to continue to communicate with him, in fact, taking him to his residence. This is confirmed by the fact that he later proposed the same thing to Matthew Levi, whom he considered an adherent of the philosophy he liked so much.
However, the author himself asks the question: “Do you really ... admit the idea that because of a person who committed a crime against Caesar, the procurator of Judea will ruin his career?” Despite the sympathy that Pontius Pilate felt for Yeshua Ha-Notsri, and the correctness of the preacher, which the procurator had already understood in his soul, he had to announce his death sentence. Indeed, otherwise he risked losing not only his high post, but also his life: the full power of the ruler of the Roman Empire played into the hands of the enemies of the procurator. Pilate could not but attach importance to the accusation of insulting the emperor. And the Small Sanhedrin refused to pardon the preacher, preferring the robber. Pilate was outraged by this decision, but still sent Yeshua to Golgotha. If he had not done so, the same fate might have awaited him. And the procurator, who had greatly changed as a result of philosophical conversations with Ha-Notsri, nevertheless turned out to be not strong enough to consciously go against such dangerous and powerful enemies.
Pontius Pilate was fully aware of his guilt and was ready to atone for it. Not daring to risk his career in reality, in a dream he saw himself capable of this step. Thus, even then he knew that he had committed an unforgivable crime. That is why a previously unsociable person sought the sympathy of Levi Matthew, offering him money or service. That is why he organized the murder of Judah of Kiriath, who had betrayed Yeshua. He really did not have the opportunity to take revenge on Herod and Caifa, but he nevertheless allowed himself a small revenge: a purse thrown into the garden of the high priest should have made him worry.
Should Pilate be blamed for being too weak to defend Yeshua? This question can be answered in different ways, but the opinion of the author should be taken into account. Through the mouth of the Master, Bulgakov granted forgiveness to the former procurator. Why? Because Pilate had already endured the worst punishment: he was never able to find peace, because every minute he remembered his crime. The procurator was punished by his own conscience, making painful that immortality that Pilate had dreamed of even during the trial of Yeshua. And none of those whom the governor brought closer to him could share this punishment with him. Only the faithful dog Banga remained with Pilate, the rest were not close enough to the unsociable, lonely man.
And what about Yeshua himself, did he forgive Pilate? Undoubtedly yes. And he did it even before the Master released the soul of his hero. He forgave the one who condemned him when he said that he “does not blame him for having taken his life,” and sent the message of his forgiveness in the form of a dream in which he walked with Pilate along the moonbeam and promised: “We now we will always be together. This dream confirmed that the procurator had finally realized who "the beggar from En-Sarid" really was, and asked him not to forget "the son of the astrologer king and the miller's daughter, the beautiful Pila." The fifth procurator of Judea believed in Yeshua as in God.
1. Pilate in various literary sources.
2. The image of Pilate in Bulgakov's novel.
3. Punishment and forgiveness of the procurator.
This hero has gone into the abyss, gone forever, forgiven on Sunday night, the son of the astrologer king, the cruel fifth procurator of Judea, the equestrian Pontius Pilate.
M. A. Bulgakov
The Roman horseman, the ruler of Judea, Pontius Pilate, the hero of the novel by M. A. Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita” is a real historical figure, whose reign was cruel, accompanied by numerous executions without trial. According to the New Testament, Pontius Pilate sentenced Jesus Christ to death, and then ritually washed his hands, showing his innocence. This image appears in the novel in close connection with the image of Yeshua Ha-Nozri: “Now we will always be together ... Once one, then there is another! If they remember me, they will immediately remember you too! Me, a foundling, the son of unknown parents, and you, the son of the astrologer king and the miller’s daughter, the beautiful Pila,” Yeshua says to Pilate in a dream.
Thus, for Bulgakov, Pilate, to whom not much time is given in the Gospel, is one of the main characters of the novel. He is occupied with the question of the reality of the events that took place, the biblical chapters in the novel turn out to be a confirmation of the existence of Christ for Ivan Bezdomny.
In the process of creating the novel, the writer got acquainted with G. Petrovsky's poem "Pilate". The author of the poem also portrays Pilate as sympathetic to Jesus, rather than perceiving his actions as a threat to overthrow the government. The cowardly procurator was unable to fight for Jesus against the Sanhedrin - just as in Bulgakov's novel, in Petrovsky's poem this vice is recognized for Pilate.
The writer's view of events, "the gospel according to Bulgakov" is not just a dispute between the characters about the existence of Christ. The author raises eternal themes - the theme of cowardice, betrayal, relations between man and power, unjust judgment.
The image of Pilate, by the will of the author, is endowed with numerous small details that make it more prominent, more understandable to the reader. Thanks to Bulgakov, the hero of his novel is seen as more humane than in the New Testament. He has weaknesses - doubts and hesitations are inherent in him, he, a cruel procurator, feels great attachment to his dog, he is worried not only by the fate of Yeshua, but also by the fate of his disciple Levi Matthew. After all, Pilate has a conscience and it torments him. Pilate does not consider Yeshua guilty, because he sees that this man simply does not know how to lie, his soul is pure. He gives Yeshua to execution against his will, having approved the death sentence of the Sanhedrin, becoming an unwitting executioner.
The author emphasizes the smallest shades of the mood of the hero in the process of making a difficult decision, which is very difficult for him. He cannot sacrifice his career to save Yeshua, but there is still something human left in him. The figure of Pilate in the novel is ambiguous. First, we see the horseman Golden Spear, a cruel procurator "in a white cloak with a bloody lining", which symbolizes his bloody deeds. Then we see in him a person subject to weaknesses and illnesses, and later suffering. The reader sees how the procurator changes in a conversation with Yeshua. At first, only one thought occupies him - that the interrogation should end as soon as possible. At this moment, the arrested and doomed Yeshua pities him and sympathizes, accurately defining his condition: “The truth, first of all, is that your head hurts, and it hurts so badly that you cowardly think about death. Not only are you unable to speak to me, but it is difficult for you to even look at me. And now I am unwittingly your executioner, which saddens me. You can't even think of anything and only dream of your dog coming, apparently the only creature to which you are attached. But your torment will now end, your head will pass.
This execution becomes a turning point in the life of Pontius Pilate, it haunts him all his life, because he executed an innocent person whose crime did not deserve such punishment. To atone for his guilt, Pilate orders Judas to be killed, but this does not bring Yeshua back, and the procurator suffers for twelve thousand moons...
Woland tells what is happening to Pilate: “He says the same thing, he says that even in the moonlight he has no peace, and that he has a bad position. He always says this when he is awake, and when he sleeps, he sees the same thing - the lunar road and wants to go along it and talk with the prisoner Ha-Nozri, because, as he claims, he did not say something then, long ago on the fourteenth day of the spring month of Nisan. But, alas, for some reason he fails to get out on this road and no one comes to him. Then what can you do, he has to talk to himself. However, some variety is needed, and to his speech about the moon, he often adds that more than anything in the world he hates his immortality and unheard-of glory. An attempt to justify oneself with one's "bad position", the same as that of the centurion Mark Ratslayer, cannot drown out the voices of conscience. Even the washing of hands does not allow him to remove this grave sin from his conscience. Immortality is the heaviest punishment Pilate receives. Yeshua comes to him in visions until Pilate, freed by the master, joins Ha-Nozri on the lunar path, not only in vision, but in reality. Then Pilate finds peace, assured by Yeshua that there was no execution. The finale brings Pilate forgiveness.
Bulgakov neglects many gospel facts in order to reveal the image of Pilate. Unlike Yeshua, the author condemns his hero. It is important for him to draw a parallel between that time and Moscow in the 1920s, as proof that people have remained the same, and cowardice always remains the most serious vice.
The events described in the novel The Master and Margarita show how the choice that the main characters face can affect the fate of each of us. Bulgakov is trying to convey to the reader that the course of history is influenced by good, truth, freedom, and not the usual power and evil, which are in eternal opposition.
The image and characterization of Pontius Pilate in The Master and Margarita will help to understand what kind of person he really is, and how the crime he committed affected his later life, dooming him to eternal torment and repentance.
Pontius Pilate is the fifth Roman procurator of Judea, ruling the country from 26-36 AD.
Family
Little is known about the family of Pontius Pilate. According to legend, he is the fruit of the love between the astrologer king and the miller's daughter. Looking at the star map of Ata, he considered that a child conceived that night would definitely become a great person. And so it happened. Exactly 9 months later, Pontius Pilate was born, whose name is a component of two names, paternal Ata and maternal Pila.
Appearance of Pontius Pilate
The appearance of Pontius Pilate did not differ from an ordinary person, despite the fact that he was the procurator of Judea. Slavic features slip through the whole appearance. Yellowish skin tone. Always a perfect shave with no signs of weekly stubble.
"On a yellowish shaven face."
There is almost no hair left on the head.
"He threw a hood over his balding head."
He suffers daily from migraines, which gives him a lot of inconvenience, and hates what he does. A city that has to be ruled and its inhabitants. Because of this, Pontius Pilate is constantly in an irritated state, often venting evil on the people around him.
His clothes are a white cloak.
"White cloak with bloody lining."
He walked:
"shuffling, cavalry gait",
Issued in him a military man. On the feet are ordinary sandals worn on bare feet. In all his appearance, strength and power are felt, but what was happening in his soul was known only to him.
Service
Pontius Pilate ended up in Yershalaim on duty, sent from Rome. Every day he has to do a lot of routine work: to sort out court cases, lead the army, listen to denunciations, decide fate. He hates what he does. This city, where he is forced to be on duty. People whom he condemned to execution, treating them with complete indifference.
Character
Pontius Pilate is essentially a deeply unhappy person. Despite the power he possessed, making the whole world around him tremble, he was a lonely, vulnerable man, hiding his true face under the mask of a despot. Pilate was educated and intelligent. He was fluent in three languages: Latin, Greek, Aramaic.
Bang's dog was a loyal friend to the procurator.
“…your dog seems to be the only creature you are attached to…”
They were inseparable, boundlessly trusting each other. His life is empty and meager. There is only one place in it - service.
People around him considered him evil and unsociable.
“... in Yershalaim everyone whispers about me that I am a ferocious creature, and this is absolutely true ...”
He was cruel to people. He was avoided, trying not to provoke in him fits of anger, characteristic of him because of his constant migraine. Arrogance gave him a formidable, stern look. Brave in life, in dealing with Yeshua, he behaved like a coward. Despising everyone, he hated himself, his position and the inability to change anything.
What happened to Pontius Pilate after the execution of Yeshua
Another working moment in the life of Pontius Pilate played a key role that left its mark on the novel as a whole. The execution of prisoners is a common thing for a procurator. He used to take it for granted, not counting those arrested as people and not being interested in their fate. During the interrogation of Yeshua, he is convinced that the person in front of him is innocent of the crime presented. In addition, he was the only one who was able to save him from a constantly boring headache. So another personality trait was revealed in him - compassion.
With the power given to him, he could not cancel the sentence and release the guy. The only way he could help him was to make sure that the condemned were killed immediately, without suffering. Pontius Pilate could not withstand the pressure of circumstances, having committed evil. After this act, he "twelve thousand moons" in time will repent of his deed. Remorse deprived him of normal sleep. At night, in fits and starts, he has the same dream, where he walks along the lunar road.
Liberation
At the end of the novel, he is forgiven for his punishment on Saturday night to Sunday after 2,000 years. Yeshua forgave him, turning to Woland (Satan) with a request to release Pontius Pilate. At last the procurator's dream came true. He was able to free himself from suffering. The moon road was waiting for him. Now he will not walk along it alone, but together with Yeshua, continuing the conversation that had once begun.
