[Pope] Clement waved his hands in irritation as if to dismiss the very idea. "The world is crumbling into ruin. Armies are marching. Men and women are dying everywhere, in huge numbers. Fields are abandoned and towns deserted. The wrath of the Lord is upon us and He may be intending to destroy the whole of creation. People are without leaders and direction. They want to be given a reason for this, so they can be reassured, so they will return to their prayers and their obiediences. All this is going on, and you are concerned about the safety of two Jews?
Iain Pears, The Dream of Scipio
chaos, civilization, decay, end-of-the-world, genocide, god-s-wrath, jews, mankind, panic, papal-authority, plague, pope, punishment, ruin, scapegoats, turmoil, victimization, victims