Androcles and the Lion Page #5

Nor the captain?

And not... - not our pious Spintho?

Oh, no, no. Not in a million years.

If Caesar will excuse me,

I have not been feeling well.

I remarked that you looked pale

when you came in.

I know the very physician for you.

Go to your home,

and I'll send him to you.

- It will not be necessary.

- I insist.

I want nothing to spoil your good health.

We want to save you for better things.

Don't we, Cato?

If Caesar wishes.

Be well, Spintho. The physician

will be at your door when you arrive.

Hail Caesar.

[Flute:
Hymn]

[Lions Growling]

[Footsteps Approaching]

[Spintho Groans]

This dirty dog's a real Christian.

He robs temples, he does.

Smashes things mad drunk, he does.

Steals gold vessels.

He assaults priestesses, he does.

You're the sort that makes

duty a pleasure, you are.

That's it. Strangle me.

Kick me! Beat me! Revile me!

Our Lord was beaten and reviled.

That's my way to heaven.

Well, if you're going to heaven,

I don't want to go there.

I wouldn't be seen with you!

Every martyr goes to heaven,

no matter what he's done.

That is so, isn't it, brother?

We all hope so.

[Cell Door Closes]

Welcome, brother.

Why is Ferrovius so silent?

He's struggling beneath the load

of the great terror.

The great terror? What is that?

Well, you see, sister...

he's never quite sure of himself.

He's afraid that at, the last moment, in the arena

with all the gladiators there to fight him...

one of them may say something

to annoy him.

And he might forget himself

and lay that gladiator out.

But that would be splendid.

What?

Oh, sister.

Splendid to betray my master, like Peter?

Splendid to act like any common blackguard

on the day of my proving?

Woman, you are no Christian.

You know, Ferrovius,

I'm not always a Christian.

I don't think anybody is.

There are moments

when I forget all about it...

and something comes out quite naturally,

as it did then.

What does it matter?

If you die in the arena,

you'll be a martyr.

And all martyrs go to heaven

no matter what they've done.

- That is so, isn't it?

- Yes, that is so.

If we are faithful to the end.

I'm not so sure.

Don't say that!

That's blasphemy!

Don't say that, I tell you!

We shall be saved

no matter what we do.

Perhaps you men will all no into heaven

bravely and in triumph...

with your heads erect

and golden trumpets sounding for you.

But I'm sure I shall only be allowed to squeeze

myself in through a little crack in the gate...

after a great deal of begging.

I'm not good always.

I have moments only.

You're talking nonsense, woman.

I tell you, martyrdom pays all scores.

Well, let us hope so, brother,

for your sake.

You've had a gay time, haven't you...

with your raids on the temples?

I can't help thinking that heaven will be very dull

for a man of your temperament.

- You... -

- Uh-uh-uh. Don't be angry.

I say it only to console you...

in case you should die in your bed tonight,

in the natural way.

- Oh, no.

- There's a lot of plague about.

I never thought of that.

Oh, spare me to be martyred.

Oh, what a thought

to put in the mind of a brother!

Oh. Let me be martyred now.

I shall die in the night and go to hell.

You're a sorcerer.

You've put death into my mind.

Oh, curse you! Curse you!

What's this, brother?

Anger? Violence?

Raising your hand to a brother Christian?

It's easy for you.

You're strong.

Your nerves are all right.

But I'm full of disease.

I've drunk all my nerves away.

I shall have the horrors all night.

Don't take on so, brother.

We're all sinners.

Yes. I dare say if the truth were known,

you're all as bad as I am.

- Does that comfort you?

- Pray, man.

- Pray!

- What's the good of praying?

If we're martyred, we shall go to heaven,

shan't we, whether we pray or not?

What is this? Not pray?

Pray this instant, you dog!

You rotten hound!

You bleating goat.

You slimy snake.

- [Growls]

- Dear brother...

if you wouldn't mind,

just for my sake... -

Well?

Don't call him by the names of animals.

I merely meant that they have no souls.

Oh, believe me, they have... -

just the same as you and me.

I've had such friends in dogs.

A pet snake is the best of company.

I was nursed on goat's milk.

I really don't believe I could go to heaven

if I thought there were to be no animals there.

Think of what they suffer here.

That is true. Yes, that is just.

- They shall have their share of heaven.

- [Whimpering]

- What's that you say?

- Nothing!

- Do animals go to heaven or not?

- I never said they didn't!

- Do they or do they not?

- They do! They do!

[Ferrovius Mutters]

[Lions Roaring]

[Centurion]

Female prisoner Lavinia.

[Cell Door Closes]

This way, miss.

Good evening, Captain.

Are you going to scold me again?

No.

Look about you, Lavinia.

This is the arena

in which you will die tomorrow.

- I know.

- Listen to me.

It's silent and empty now.

But tomorrow, those empty seats

will be filled with the vilest of voluptuaries... -

men in whom the only passion

excited by a beautiful woman...

is a lust to see her tortured and torn,

shrieking limb from limb.

Why did you bring me here?

Because it's a crime to gratify that passion.

It is offering yourself for violation

by the whole rabble of the streets...

and the riffraff of the court at the same time.

They cannot violate my soul.

I alone can do that

by sacrificing to false gods.

Then sacrifice to the true God.

What does his name matter?

We call him Jupiter. The Greeks call him Zeus.

Call him what you will

as you drop the incense on the altar flame.

He'll understand.

No. I couldn't.

That is the strange thing, Captain...

that a little pinch of incense

should make all that difference.

Religion is such a great thing.

When I meet really religious people,

we are friends at once...

no matter what name we give

to the divine will that made us and moves us.

Are you so narrow to think that we do not

believe in our gods because you will die for yours?

Do you think that I, a woman, would quarrel

with you for sacrificing to a woman god like Diana...

if Diana meant to you

what Christ means to me?

No.

We would kneel side by side

before her altar like two children.

Then let us do so, Lavinia.

Let us kneel together.

We cannot.

There is an abyss between us so deep and profound

we dare not reach out to one another...

lest we fall and be lost forever.

Is there no pity in your god

that he would let you die for him?

I do not die for him, but for myself.

But when men who believe neither

in my God nor in their own...

men who do not know the meaning

of the word religion... -

when these men drag me

to the foot of an iron statue...

that has become the symbol of the terror

and darkness through which they walk...

of their cruelty and greed...

of their hatred of God

and their oppression of man... -

when they ask me to pledge my soul

before the people...

that this hideous idol is God...

and that all this wickedness

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