Demetrius and the Gladiators Page #3

This god of yours.

They say he thought as well of a slave

as of a patrician, even an emperor.

Can this be true?

It was one of the greatest of his truths.

No wonder they crucified him.

The gladiators have arrived

at the palace enclosure, sire.

Well? What have you to report?

The robe is no longer in Rome, sire.

The man who has it, the one they call

the fisherman, is said to have gone north.

- I've issued orders to...

- I want the robe, not excuses!

Find it!

I hope you've provided better

entertainment than last time, Uncle.

(fanfare, crowd cheering)

Senators,...

...my subjects,...

...my loyal guards,...

...we are touched by your devotion.

In honour of our birthday, a gift of 50

gold pieces for every member of the guard.

(cheering)

We will proceed now

with the marriage of life and death.

(beating of drums)

Hail Caesar!

We, who are about to die, salute you.

(Caligula) Begin the games.

(booing)

(cheering)

(cheering)

Get ready.

Demetrius. Glycon.

Take it.

There's one chance for you - a slim one.

- Have you ever used a sword?

- Yes.

Fight as hard as you can.

Try to kill me. Use your shield well.

Sometimes, rarely, if two men put up

a good enough fight, they let them both live.

Understand?

If they think we're pretending,

they'll cut our throats.

If they begin to guess, defend yourself

because then I'll have to kill you.

- Good luck.

- Good luck.

- That's Glycon, isn't it?

- Yes, sire.

Good. I don't knowthe other one.

A Greek. A most unusual man, sire.

We thought he might amuse you.

Cut hard at me, make it look good. Attack!

(booing)

It's poor, Claudius.

Your gladiators are too fond of each other.

It's no good. They know.

Sorry, friend. Fight for your life.

(cheering)

- Glycon, pick up your sword.

- I can't. You've won.

Look, Glycon. It's life.

Notyet. The emperor decides.

They want him spared, sire.

(murmurs of disapproval)

Cut clean, friend.

Sire, I'm a freeman of Rome.

- I claim my right of appeal to the emperor.

- Your rights are what I say they are.

Butyou may speak.

- I ask you to withdraw your command, sire.

- Why should I?

I'm a Christian. I can't take a man's life.

Very well.

Your request is granted.

- The Nubian goes free.

- Thank you, sire.

Christian!

Stay there.

Macro, go down and cut the dog's throat.

Take your time with it.

Let him die slowly.

Sire, is that worthy of you -

a man who won't even fight back?

What do you mean not worthy?

Are you daring to plead for his life?

I'm only thinking of your own amusement.

Why waste his death?

Make him a birthday present to your tigers.

I think I begin to understand, Claudius.

She wants him to have a chance for life.

I didn't know your taste ran to Christians.

It doesn't, sire.

Your eyes betray you.

Very well.

When the tigers are finished with him

you won't want what's left.

Macro,...

...give him the dagger and come back.

Release the tigers!

(cheering)

(cheering)

- He's lost much blood, my lady.

- I want him to live.

- What are you doing?

- We will bleed him.

The blood of slaves is impure.

By letting some out he will improve.

Bleed him when his trouble is loss of blood?

Get out, both of you!

The fools. Who can be trusted?

I'll stay with him, my lady.

Get blankets. He should be kept warm.

And heat some wine for him.

Heated wine.

- I wish I knew howto pray to his god.

- Save your breath. The wine'll do more good.

- You're responsible, Strabo.

- I'll do all I can, my lady.

If he dies, I'll send you backto the arena.

Leave us.

- I understand I have you to thank for my life.

- Caligula would have wasted you.

You could become

a valuable piece of property.

- Why did you send for me?

- I didn't.

My husband wants to question you.

- Claudius.

- Yes?

- The slave Demetrius is here.

- I'm not a slave.

You're our property,

whatever you want to call it.

- Good afternoon. I hope you're feeling better.

- Yes, sir.

If you survived our physicians,

you could survive anything.

But it's hard to kill a man

who believes he'll live for ever.

- You do believe that, don'tyou?

- Claudius, come to the point.

Oh, yes.

The emperor is interested in the robe

that Jesus wore to the cross.

Can you tell me where it is

or the whereabouts of the man who has it?

Peter, I believe he's called.

No, sir. I can tell you nothing.

Caligula might take it into his head to

question you himself. He has his methods.

I know his methods.

And you'd die for this robe?

You're intelligent.

You can't believe it could cast a spell.

Only the spell of memory.

I took it from the foot of the cross

myself before he died,...

...calling on his Father to forgive his enemies.

He did that?

What men will do under

the inspiration of their beliefs!

I have none myself, none at all,

though my wife is a priestess of Isis.

I'm sure the Christians look on my faith

as debauched superstition.

- Don'tyou?

- The priestess of Isis knows what her faith is.

- We believe that love rules the world.

- So do we.

Then why are you such hypocrites? Why do

you pretend to be so pure, above temptation?

You misunderstand, my dear.

When a Christian speaks of love, he means...

I'm asking Demetrius.

Jesus said "Love ye one another as brothers. "

Tell me,...

...how do you manage

to love a woman as a brother?

You don't.

It's a pity you can't tell me something about

the robe. It might even mean your freedom.

I can tell you nothing, sir.

Albus.

- Return this man to the gladiator school.

- Why, Claudius?

You might have further questions for him.

We could find useful employment for him

here among our bodyguards,...

...at least until he's fit for the arena again.

As you say, my dear.

Besides, when he knows us better,

he might be willing to tell us more.

Albus, feed him,

then return to me for instructions.

Yes, my lady. Come.

Have you exhausted

all other sources of your amusement?

- But don'tyou find him interesting?

- He's a remarkable young man.

He has something that Rome has lacked

since the early days of the republic.

Something to believe in: faith.

Our early conquests weakened it and

my family, we Caesars, killed and buried it.

Strange, if the memory of a dead Jew

should bring it to life again.

Messalina.

Don't hurt him.

Don't destroy what he has.

- Are you going to interfere?

- No, my dear.

I never interfere.

This is your post. Don't leave it.

It's warm. Open the door.

Guard!

Pick it up.

Do you have a woman, Demetrius?

No.

There's one thing aboutyour religion

that still puzzles me.

Why should one want to live out

such a dull life for ever?

To be a Christian these days

is anything but dull.

My husband tells me

you wouldn't fight because of a rule,...

...a commandment, issued by your god.

- There are ten of them.

- Tell me about them.

They're very simple.

Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal,...

...thou shalt not bear false witness

against thy neighbour.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife.

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