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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 1, Of the Lord’s Ascension, and of the Death of Pilate and Herod

The Lord being therefore risen again, was for forty days discoursing with His disciples of the Kingdom of God; thereafter He was taken up in a cloud from their sight and carried into heaven, where He sitteth in glory at the right hand of the Father. Pilate sent to Tiberius Caesar a report of what was done, and told him of the miracles of Christ, of His Passion and Resurrection: this report is preserved in writing to this day among us.¹ Tiberius laid it before the Senate; but the senators rejected it in wrath because it had not been laid before them first. Hence grew up the first seeds of hatred against the Christians. But Pilate did not remain unpunished for his wickedness and his crime, that is, for the violent death which he inflicted on our Lord Jesus Christ, for he slew himself with his own hands. Many deem him to have been a Manichaean, according to that which is read in the Gospel: ‘There came certain which told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.’² Likewise Herod the king, raging against the Lord’s apostles, was stricken from heaven for such great crimes; swelling up and swarming with worms, he took a knife to ease his malady, and smote himself with his own hand.

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