“Nothing of the sort,” the archivist replied anxiously. “It appears to be a copy of an original manuscript. It -- the copy -- probably dates back to the 12th century. It is a part of a larger memoir written by a Roman General, Horatius Servius Tarquinius, Commander of The Imperial Legion.”

“I thought Roman legions all had numbers,” my colleague said taking another sip of wine, not altogether convinced.

“I don’t know,” the archivist responded impatiently. “But if this is true, it verifies the entire Scriptural account of Jesus. It even mentions the earthquake and the darkness following the crucifixion and the dead rising and being seen in Jerusalem. But there are two other very important matters -- the manuscript account of the Passion and Death of Jesus is almost identical to the visions of the 19th century German mystic, Anna Katherine Emmerich. This alone is incredible evidence; furthermore, there is a supposed discrepancy in Luke’s account placing the birth of Jesus around the year 4 B.C. That is also the approximate date of the conjunction of planets that comprised the star of Bethlehem. As you know, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to register for the Census where Herod tries to kill the infant Jesus but modern historians place the Census in 6 A.D., the beginning of the tenure of Publius Sulpicius Quirinius as Governor of Syria. The scriptural account says that he was Governor of Syria but modern historians say that Quirinius did not become Governor of Syria until 6 A.D. -- ten years after the time the Scriptural accounts say Jesus was born. And Herod was long dead by 6 A.D.”

“Maybe Luke got the years mixed up,” my colleague said.

“That’s just it, ” the archivist replied with excitement. “The last part of the manuscript takes place in the year 67 A.D. Tarquinius says that in that year he was eighty-three years old. Earlier he says that he was with his father in Judaea at the time of the Census and he clearly states that he was twelve years old at that time and he also says that he met Publius Quirinius who was then Governor of Syria. That would put his birth year in 16 B.C. That means the Census did, in fact, occur in 4 B.C. -- in the reign of Herod the Great, just as Luke writes.”

“I’ve never heard of this Tarquinius,” my colleague said. “But, then, not all Roman Generals are remembered in history.”

“This one should have been. In his memoir he recounts defeating at least four sets of outside invaders. But, in the narrative, he explains why he might not be remembered in history since he was placed under Damnatio Memoriae meaning he was deliberately erased from all Roman historical records.”

“Sounds to me like some monk with an over active imagination who wrote it to fill in his spare time in the monastery scriptorium,” my colleague said.

“I want to give ithe manuscript to you,” the archivist said. “You are an expert in Latin. Oh, I can read it well enough but you can put it into English. You know how language is nuanced and you are an expert on the first century.”

“Smuggling something out of the archives can be risky. You know how the Vatican is about secrecy. It may be something they don’t want the general public to see.”

“No one knows it’s even there. I found it buried under a pile of manuscripts and miscellaneous papers that have been sitting there for years -- maybe centuries. The Vatican archives are enormous. No one person knows everything that’s in there. Don’t worry -- I can get it out but when you are finished, you will need to bring it back to me so I can return it.”

“Maybe we can sell it and make a fortune,” my colleague joked.

The archivist failed to see the humor in that remark. “This is no laughing matter,” he said intensely. “It MUST be returned to the archives. It must not even leave the city limits of Rome. I know that you will be here for at least six months. That should be time enough.”

“Well, as you know, I’m on sabbatical and I had some other projects in mind.”

“Please,” pleaded the archivist, “this is too important. This may be the most valuable historical document in existence. And that’s why I need it back -- I cannot risk it falling into unscrupulous hands.”

“And it may also be a forgery. To tell you the truth, it sounds kinda fishy.”

“But if it isn’t, it is the biggest historical find of all times. It will provide solid historical verification for those parts of the Gospel narratives that as yet have no historical corroboration -- parts that are regarded by many as allegory or fable.”

My colleague twirled his glass and thought for a moment. Then he sighed: “Oh, very well, bring me the manuscript. I’ll at least take a look at it.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you,” the archivist said smiling and enthusiastically taking hold of both my colleague’s hands.

“Who knows -- maybe Bill O’Reilly will be able to do Killing Jesus II,” my colleague said.

A few days later, the archivist brought the manuscript to my colleague’s apartment. Since he had other projects he wanted to work on during his time in Rome, he worked on the translation eight hours a day, six days a week until it was finished.

When he returned to the United States he paid me a visit. He began by recounting in detail his visit with the archivist at that Rome café. Then he reached into his briefcase and pulled out a flash drive with a complete translation of the memoir of Horatius Servius Tarquinius, Commander of the Imperial Legion during the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Since I’m a professional writer with one novel and several anthologies of short stories to my credit, he thought that, if I could turn this into a novel style format, it would be more readable and perhaps easier to get to the attention of the right people.

Now, you may ask if that would blow the archivist’s cover. My colleague did return the original manuscript to him where it was presumably buried once again under that pile of dusty old manuscripts and papers where it had been languishing perhaps for centuries. But the archivist was dead; towards the end of my colleague’s sabbatical, he heard that the archivist had passed away in his sleep in his room at the Vatican. He was told by another Vatican contact that it was from “natural causes.”

Fact or fiction? Who knows -- but for what it’s worth, here it is in the form of a historical novel. I tried to use General Tarquinius’ manner of speaking (and writing) that I read into the translation. For instance, my colleague made a note that Tarquinius did not utilize the word “daughter(s)” when reference to his two children. He preferred the word “girls” or “children.” I employed a more formal linguistic style since my colleague felt that was more in keeping with Tarquinius’ writing and speaking style. Tarquinius wrote this memoir around the year 67 A.D. when the word “Christian” (Christianus in Latin) was coming into common usage and he used it to describe the followers of Jesus from the beginning. The term “Christian” first came into common usage in Antioch in the 40s of the first Century A.D.

I venture no opinion as to whether or not this work is based on historical fact. That is made more difficult since the Romans deleted the name of Horatius Servius Tarquinius from their history so we can never be certain if he really existed; however, whether or not General Tarquinius is the true author, it makes for a fascinating story and I think I have produced a “good read” in modern contemporary (if somewhat formal) English.

…Perhaps it is for the best if this story leaves some doubt as to its authenticity. Jesus wanted to be accepted through faith rather than historical record. As he told the Apostle Thomas: “Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed.” (John: 20:29) My goal in publishing this story is more to strengthen and enhance faith than come up with a verifiable historical record.

Tom Reidy April 8, 2018 (The Feast of Divine Mercy) Tacoma, WA