They
saw
that
it
was
from
a
letter
from
the
senator
Publius
Lentulus,
pro-consul
in
Judeia,
to
Tiberius
Cesar
in
Rome,
that
the
renaissance
painters
based
on
to
paint
the
picture
of
Jesus.
They
saw
that
this
letter
would
be
in
the
archives
of
the
eternal
city,
better
yet,
in
the
Vatican
library
until
this
very
day,
but,
conclusive
proof
of
this
document,
no
one
can
give.
This
is
lamentable,
because
this
letter
constitutes
a
notable
document
of
description
of
the
physical
and
phychological
traces
of
Jesus,
done
by
an
intelligent
and
observing
politician.
Along
history
various
versions
of
this
document,
succinct,
complete,
all
very
consistent
among
them,
in
a
way
that
the
validity
and
possible
real
existence.
The
most
interesting
text
came
inserted
in
an
old
book
of
medieval
Portuguese
literature,
in
which
the
author
states
that
he
copied
it
from
the
original
in
Latin,
Vita
Cristi.
This
edition
was
written
in
a
very
archaic
Portuguese,
which
gives
it
a
completely
different
flavor,
curious
and
rich
in
semantic
value.
“Today
there
lives
in
Judeia
a
man
of
singular
virtue,
who
is
called
Jesus
Cristo;
the
barbarians
have
him
as
a
profet;
his
sectarians
adore
him
as
being
sent
to
us
by
the
immortal
gods.
He
raises
the
dead
and
cares
for
the
sick,
with
his
words
and
his
touch;
he
is
tall
and
well
built;
he
semblant
is
always
placid
and
admirable;
His
hair
is
of
an
almost
indefinable
color
and
fall
in
curls
until
below
the
ears
and
fall
upon
his
shoulders,
with
much
grace,
parted
in
the
middle
as
in
the
Nazerene
way”.
“His
forehead
is
smooth
and
wide
and
his
cheeks
are
tainted
with
an
admirable
rubor.
The
nose
and
the
mouth
are
formed
in
perfect
symmetry;
the
beard,
dense
and
of
a
corresponding
color
to
the
hair,
extends
one
inch
below
his
chin,
forking
out”
His
eyes
are
brilliant
and
serene,
and
what
surprises
one
is,
resplandecing
in
his
like
the
rays
of
the
sun,
but
no
one
can
fixedly
look
at
his
semblant,
because
when
it
shines
out
it
terrifies,
and
when
it
calms,
makes
one
cry;
he
makes
one
love
him
and
happily
with
profound
respect.
He
has
graceful
arms
and
hands”.
“He
admonishes
with
majesty
and
exhorts
with
tenderness;
When
crying
or
talking,
he
always
does
with
the
most
profound
elegance
and
gravity.
He
is
of
such
knowledge
that
the
whole
city
of
Jerusalem
admires
him;
he
has
never
been
to
school
and
yet
knows
so
much.
He
walks
barefoot
and
with
nothing
at
all
on
his
head.
Many
people
openly
laugh
at
him
for
this,
but
in
his
presence,
talking
with
him,
one
trembles
and
marvels.
No
one
has
ever
heard
him
laugh
but
has
seen
him
cry
many,
many
times.
He
is
sober,
very
modest
and
very
caste.
So,
he
is
a
man,
for
his
beauty
and
perfection,
surpasses
the
sons
of
other
men”.
In
the
medieval
text,
there
are
more
explanations
defining
colors
and
situations,
for
example,
“his
hair
was
the
color
of
ripe
chestnuts,
and
falls
to
his
ears,
smooth
and
orderly;
and
thrown
back,
it
was
curly,
covering
and
protecting
his
shoulders.
His
forehead
was
smooth
and
very
light
colored,
his
face
being
without
wrinkles
and
marks,
which
made
his
skin
a
lustrous
rubor”.
By
the
facts,
it
isn’t
hard
to
conclude
that
drawers
and
painters
at
the
end
if
the
middle-ages,
or
in
pleno
renaissance,
never
had
and
difficulty
in
drawing
him,
because
in
moderns
terms
we
could
call
this
the
first
identikit
picture
in
history,
of
a
truly
universal
personality.
And
eternal!
