And they sat and watched him

Saint Matthew - Chapter 27

And they sat and watched him. J-J Tissot

[36] Et sedentes servabant eum.
And they sat and watched him.

From The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by J-J Tissot (1897)

As the mysterious and awful darkness became deeper and deeper, the crowd melted away altogether, until at last Calvary was deserted by all but those immediately concerned in the tragedy going on.  According to tradition, it was now that one of the servants of Joseph of Arimathæa, who was watching the division of the sacred garments, seized a favourable moment to offer a large sum of money to the executioners for their spoil.  This was how it came about that these priceless relics came into the possession of the early Christians, and from their hands passed into the care of different sanctuaries. The bargain having been struck to their satisfaction, the four executioners, having nothing else to do, came and sat down in the four corners of the platform of Calvary, and, weary and worn out as they were after the fatigue of their long and horrible task, they took their ease, watching the Cross on which Jesus still hung.  It was, indeed, the custom, as we are told by various writers of antiquity, to mount guard over those undergoing crucifixion, for death was not always certain or speedy.  If the friends of the victim were able to take him down and tend him, their efforts to restore him might very often have been successful.  The haemorrhage which, at the beginning of the long anguish, was very abundant, is said to have been arrested at an early stage by the swelling caused by the nails which had been driven through the hands and feet, Flavius Josephus relates how one of his friends, who had been taken down from the cross before it was too late, had been brought back to life.  To guard against any such rescue from the full penalty, or attempted rescue, guards were posted on the spot and forbidden to lose sight of the victim for a single instant.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam