The letter arrived in Rome and was read to Caesar in the presence of many people. And all were astonished to hear that, because of Pilate’s crime, darkness and an earthquake had struck the whole land. Caesar, infuriated, sent soldiers and ordered Pilate arrested.
When Caesar was brought to Rome, he sat down in the temple of the gods at the head of the Senate, accompanied by the entire military force and the multitude that comprised his forces. He then gave orders that Pilate should advance before him and remain standing. He then said to him: “Why have you dared to do such things, you monster of impiety, after having seen such wonders as those performed by that man? By daring to commit such a villainy, you have brought ruin on the whole universe.”
But Pilate answered, “O Emperor, I am not guilty of this; it is the mob of Jews who instigated and were responsible for it.” Caesar said, “And who are these?” Pilate replied, “Herod, Archelaus, Philip, Annas, Caiaphas, and the whole mob of Jews.” Caesar replied, “Why did you agree with their plan?” Pilate said, “Their nation is rebellious and unruly; it will not submit to your rule.” Caesar replied, “You should have immediately handed him over to you and sent him to me, and not have been persuaded by them to crucify such a man as this, who was just and performed such wonderful miracles as you stated in your report. For such signs as these clearly showed that Jesus was the Christ, the King of the Jews.”
And as soon as Caesar had said this, when he mentioned the name of Christ, the whole host of gods collapsed and was reduced to a kind of dust cloud that filled the chamber where Caesar was sitting, accompanied by the Senate. And the people who were in Caesar’s presence were all terrified at hearing the name mentioned and at the fall of those gods; and, overcome with fear, they went each to their own houses, filled with wonder at what had happened. Then Caesar ordered Pilate to be kept under close surveillance, so that he might know the truth about what concerned Jesus.
The next day Caesar sat in the Capitol with the whole Senate and proposed to question Pilate again. Caesar said, “Tell the truth, you monster of impiety! For by your impious deed which you did against Jesus, your wicked conduct has been made manifest here, by the fact that the gods have fallen. Tell me, then, who is this one who was crucified, since his name has brought destruction even to all the gods?” Pilate answered, “What is said about him is true; I myself, having seen his works, was convinced that this man was higher than all the gods we worship.” Caesar then asked, “How then did you have the audacity to do this to him, knowing him as you did? Or were you plotting some evil against my empire?” Pilate answered, “I did this because of the iniquity and rebellion of these lawless and godless Jews.”
Caesar, enraged, then took counsel with the whole senate and his army. He issued an edict against the Jews, along these lines: "To Licianus, governor of the eastern province, greetings. I have learned of the bold and lawless deed that has been committed in our time by the Jews who live in Jerusalem and the surrounding cities, so that they have forced Pilate to crucify a certain god called Jesus, a crime so horrible that the universe, darkened, was about to be brought to ruin. Therefore, be of good courage to present yourself to them with all speed, well equipped with forces, and by this edict declare slavery. Be obedient to the command to attack them and scatter them throughout the world; reduce them to slavery among all nations; And, after expelling from all of Judea even the most insignificant relic of their race, make sure that not even this appears, filled as they are with evil.
When this edict reached the East, Lician obeyed the terrible tenor of the order and exterminated the entire Jewish nation; and those who remained in Judea he cast into the dispersion of the nations to be slaves; so that what Lician had done against the Jews in the East came to Caesar’s attention, and he was pleased.
And Caesar set about judging Pilate again. Then he ordered a leader named Albius to cut off his head, saying, “Just as this man raised his hand against the righteous man called Christ, so this man will fall without mercy.”
But Pilate, when he had arrived at the appointed place, began to pray silently thus: “Lord, do not lose me among the wicked Hebrews, for I would not have lifted my hand against you if it had not been for the people of the wicked Jews, for they rebelled against me; but you know that I acted without knowledge. So then, do not lose me for this sin, but be kind to me, O Lord, and to your servant Procla, who stands by me in this hour of my death, whom you deigned to appoint as a prophetess of your future crucifixion. Do not condemn this one also for my sin, but forgive us and number us among the portion of your chosen ones.”
And behold, as Pilate had finished his prayer, a voice came from heaven, saying, Blessed shall the generations and fatherlands of the Gentiles call you, for in your time all these things were fulfilled which were spoken through the prophets concerning me; and you shall appear as a witness at my second coming, when I come to judge the twelve tribes of Israel and those who have not confessed my name. Then the prefect shook Pilate’s head, and behold, an angel of the Lord received it. And when his wife Procla saw the angel coming to receive his head, she was rejoicing and yielded up her spirit immediately and was buried with her husband.