Androcles and the Lion Page #2

Is that all of them?

No. There's another group

coming from Syracuse.

How long am I supposed to wait for them?

- You're so impatient, Captain.

- I'm a soldier, not a policeman.

The enemy within is just as real

as the enemy without, Captain.

I fight in my way.

You fight in yours.

Your job is finished then.

Why don't you return to Rome?

Don't you like my company, Captain?

It's not becoming a Roman soldier

to be spied upon.

Or are my men and I suspect too?

Christianity is very contagious, Captain.

You never can tell where it will strike next.

We want to be certain that it does not

strike our valiant soldiers...

and their officers.

May I suggest, madam, that you withdraw

to some place of safety?

These are dangerous Christian prisoners.

There's no telling what may happen.

I suggest that you go indoors and wait

till we clear the lot of them out of here.

But I am one of them.

[Woman]

Water.

Can I help you?

Water. Water.

If you please?

Why, of course, miss.

By all means.

- Shall I get you a fresh bowl?

- No. This will do.

Her name is Lavinia.

I envy the lion.

Which lion?

The one that will eat her.

Your impatience is at an end, Captain.

There are your charges from Syracuse.

Prisoners from Syracuse... -

all present and accounted for.

And high time, I must say.

Is the sorcerer Androcles amongst them?

Doesn't look much like a sorcerer to me.

Dismissed!

Watch out for this fine fellow, miss.

He's a sorcerer, a real sorcerer too.

No mistake about it.

- Are you a sorcerer?

- No.

But I'm a very good tailor.

That's a fine dress you have on.

- Worldly goods, brother.

- Amen.

The prisoners from Syracuse... -

all present and correct, sir.

They certainly don't look like much.

Couldn't you have taught them

a little discipline?

You can't bang it into them, sir.

They've no religion. That's how it is.

- Fall them in with the rest.

- Yes, sir.

Attention!

Fall in the prisoners!

- Shall we march together, brother?

- [Soldier] Come on! On your feet!

[Centurion]

Soldiers, fall in!

All right! Silence!

Orders from the captain!

- [Captain] Centurion.

- Sir.

Centurion, you are to instruct your men

that on their march to Rome...

no intimacy with the Christian prisoners

will be tolerated.

The singing of Christian hymns by the prisoners

is expressly forbidden.

Any shortcoming in this respect

will be regarded as a breach of discipline.

Prisoners. I call your attention, prisoners,

to the fact that upon your arrival in Rome...

you may be called on to appear

in the imperial circus...

at any time onwards according

to the requirements of the managers.

I may also inform you that, as there is

a shortage of Christians just now...

you may expect to be called on very soon.

What will they do to us, Captain?

The women will be conducted into the arena

with the wild beasts of the imperial menagerie...

and will suffer the consequences.

The men above an age to bear arms

will be given weapons to defend themselves...

if they choose,

against the imperial gladiators.

I have no more to say to the prisoners.

- God bless you, Captain.

- [Prisoners Laughing]

Silence! Silence!

Tantalizing, isn't she?

Keep your mind on your job.

The Christians are my job.

They are also my prisoners

and under my charge...

until I deliver them

to the Colosseum dungeon.

- Yes, Captain.

- Forward.

[Centurion]

Sound the march!

[Trumpets Blowing]

- Forward!

- [Soldier] Forward march!

[Chattering, Chuckling]

Good day to you, Captain.

We missed you at our celebration.

- I don't celebrate while I'm on duty.

- You are right to rebuke me, Captain.

For the moment, at least,

I sincerely regret...

that I do not enjoy

your strength of character.

By the way, Captain, did I not say

that Christianity was contagious?

[Laughing, Chattering]

What is your business here

with these prisoners?

I... - I caught my hand on a spear, sir.

- The prisoner was dressing it for me.

- I asked him to let me do it, Captain.

And I asked him to let me mend his cloak.

He tore that too.

- Take your cloak and report back to your quarters.

- Yes, sir.

And what assistance did you gentlemen

require of the prisoner?

Did you also tear your cloaks

or cut your hands?

No, sir. We were just talking to Lavi... -

I mean, the prisoner.

Get back to your quarters, all three of you.

Report to me later.

I must reprimand the female prisoner

for undermining the discipline of my men.

It must cease immediately,

or I shall punish it with the utmost severity.

- Is that sufficient warning?

- Yes, Captain.

If I don't behave,

I shall be thrown to the lions.

And if I do behave, I shall be

thrown to the lions just the same.

Is that what you mean?

[All Laughing]

[Laughter Continues]

[Bleating]

- [Flute]

- Onward, Christian soldiers

Marching as to war

With the cross of Jesus

Going on before

Christ the royal master

[Joins In]

...master

Leads against the foe

- [Continues, Indistinct]

- [Tuba Joins In]

Of course, it's no business of mine...

but I notice a slight lowering in morale.

- In your Christians?

- No. In your men.

[Prisoners, Soldiers]

Onward, Christian soldiers

- Centurion!

- Yes, sir.

- Halt your men.

- Yes, sir.

Column...

halt!

[Soldier]

Halt!

Centurion, you were instructed that no

lax discipline on the march would be permitted.

In particular, it was impressed on you...

that there would be no toleration

of the singing of Christian hymns.

I have to reprimand you, Centurion...

for not only allowing this

but actually doing it yourself.

- The men march better, Captain.

- No doubt.

And for that reason, an exception is made...

in the case of the march called

"Onward, Christian Soldiers."

This may be sung until we reach Rome...

but the words must be altered to...

- "Throw us to the lions."

- [Laughing]

[Centurion]

Silence! Silence!

Where's your behavior?

Is this the way to listen to an officer?

But I think the captain

meant us to laugh, Centurion.

- It was so funny.

- That is all.

The female prisoner seems to appreciate

your sense of humor, Captain.

Forward!

March!

[Soldier]

Forward ho!

Throw us to the lions

We shall be devoured

Congratulations, Captain.

Your every word is their command.

I salute you.

We shall be devoured

Throw us to the lions

We shall be devoured

Throw us to the...

- [Man, Screaming] Help me!

- [Soldier] Soldiers, ho!

- Come on there! Grab hold!

- [Screaming] Help!

What is wrong?

One of our men has been pinned

beneath a supply wagon.

[Soldier Shouting]

- [Soldier #2 Shouting]

- [Man] Help!

Heave!

Grab hold!

- I can't budge it.

- More men. Get more men.

- See here. What's going on here?

- Who are you?

- What's the meaning of this?

- Get the prisoner out of here.

- [Straining]

- [Gasping]

[Man] Thank you, stranger.

You... You saved my life.

Better had I saved your soul, brother...

than your poor sinful body.

Who is that man?

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