Gladiator Page #5

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He stands. We see that he is holding the scroll denoting

Marcus' intention to nominate Maximus as Emperor to the

Senate. Commodus cannot control his tears.

COMMODUS:

Why does Maximus deserve what I

could never have? -- Why do you love

his eyes over mine? -- I would

butcher the whole world -- if you

would only love me...

Commodus weeps.

INT. MAXIMUS' TENT - NIGHT

Quintus is waking Maximus --

QUINTUS:

General -- Maximus --

MAXIMUS:

Quintus -- ?

QUINTUS:

The Emperor needs you. It's urgent.

Maximus leaps up and throws on a cloak, strides out with

Quintus...

EXT. TENT CITY - NIGHT

Dead of night. Maximus and Quintus stride quickly through

the sleeping camp toward Marcus' tent.

MAXIMUS:

What is it? Is he ill?

QUINTUS:

I don't know...

They continue on toward Marcus' tent.

INT. MARCUS' TENT - NIGHT

Maximus and Quintus stride into the tent -- Maximus slams

to a halt. Stunned.

Commodus stands before him. Lucilla stands in a corner of

the tent, head down.

And Marcus Aurelius dead, lying on his bed.

Maximus stares at Marcus.

COMMODUS:

Lament with me, brother, our great

father is dead. I want --

Maximus, not even hearing, steps past him to Marcus.

He stands for a moment and then slowly kneels before

Marcus and gently kisses the old man's forehead. A ritual

farewell.

A moment of silent mourning and then Maximus stands. He

turns very, very slowly to Commodus.

COMMODUS:

General, the Gods' have taken the

great man and left me alone. My

first desire as Emperor is that you

take my hand in friendship. I need

you at my side, Maximus, at this

moment above all others. Stand with

me.

Maximus glares at him:

MAXIMUS:

How did he die?

Commodus does not respond.

MAXIMUS:

How did he die?

COMMODUS:

The surgeons say it was his breath

that gave out.

Maximus glances to Lucilla, she avoids his eyes.

COMMODUS:

Take my hand, Maximus. I only offer

it once.

A beat.

Maximus turns back to Marcus.

MAXIMUS:

How will the world speak your name

now, old man?

Without a glance to Commodus, he stalks out.

A silent beat. Then Commodus nods to Quintus. Quintus

goes.

Lucilla looks at Commodus for a long moment, her face an

enigmatic tornado of complex emotions.

Then:

LUCILLA:

Hail, Caesar.

INT. MAXIMUS' TENT - NIGHT

Maximus is kneeling before his ancestors, head down, his

fists clenched, praying.

Quintus and four Praetorian ASSASSINS suddenly burst in --

the assassins move immediately to bind Maximus -- swords

at his throat --

MAXIMUS:

What -- ?!

QUINTUS:

(ashamed)

Please don't fight, Maximus --

MAXIMUS:

Quintus --

Quintus goes to Maximus' armor, which hangs nearby, and

slowly removes his seal of office.

QUINTUS:

I'm sorry, General, Caesar has

spoken.

They pull Maximus out --

EXT. MAXIMUS' TENT - TENT CITY - NIGHT

Five horses are waiting.

MAXIMUS:

Quintus, what -- ?

QUINTUS:

(anguish)

I have no choice --

They are almost run over by a stern cohort of twenty

Praetorians who gallop past. Maximus knows immediately

what this means.

MAXIMUS:

(suddenly)

My family?!

A beat.

MAXIMUS:

What about my family, Quintus?

QUINTUS:

(quietly)

They will greet you in the

afterlife.

Maximus lunges at him -- the Praetorians subdue him --

slamming him with a sword hilt -- knocking him

unconscious.

QUINTUS:

(quietly, to

assassins)

Take him as far as the sunrise and

then kill him.

EXT. FOREST ROAD - DAWN

The four Praetorian assassins lead Maximus along a road.

He sits slumped in his saddle, drained.

ASSASSIN #1

All right, this is far enough.

The three other assassins climb from their horses.

Assassin #2 pushes Maximus from his horse. He falls to

the ground hard.

ASSASSIN #1

You two take him down there where no

one will find him.

ASSASSIN #3

Come on, General...

Assassin #3 and Assassin #4 drag Maximus down a densely

forested hill along the road. Maximus' hands are still

bound in front of him. He seems totally lacking in any

resistance.

EXT. FOREST - BELOW THE ROAD - DAWN

Maximus eyes the two assassins as they troop down the

hill away from the road, he notes their sparkling armor.

The armor of men who have never seen real battle.

MAXIMUS:

Have you ever done this before?

ASSASSIN #3

What?

MAXIMUS:

Killed a man with a sword?

ASSASSIN #3

Not like this, exactly... this is

good, you can stop.

They stop. They are far down the hill, out of sight of

the road.

MAXIMUS:

It can be very messy -- you could

get blood all over your armor. You

don't want to hack me up now. You

want one clean stroke.

ASSASSIN #3

Would you kneel, General?

Maximus kneels, his whole body secretly coiling. Assassin

#3 stands over him as:

MAXIMUS:

One good stroke -- you do know

where, don't you?

ASSASSIN #4

Be quiet.

MAXIMUS:

If you miss the spot there'll be

blood everywhere. Quite a spray.

ASSASSINS #3

All right, where?

MAXIMUS:

Here -- you don't want to hit the

vein on the neck --

Maximus points his bound hands at a spot on the back of

his neck.

MAXIMUS:

Put the point of your sword here...

you want one, good blow right at

this spot --

Assassin #3 dutifully puts the point of his sword on the

spot on Maximus' neck.

A grave mistake.

Maximus instantly grabs the blade of the sword with his

hands and yanks it from Assassin #3 -- EXPLODING up -- his

hands are bleeding but he tosses the sword into the air

and catches it -- swings the sword with brutal efficiency

-- decapitating both assassins --

EXT. FOREST ROAD - DAWN

On the road above, the other two Assassins are on their

horses, waiting.

They hear a quick yelp from below. And then nothing.

Assassin #1 nods for Assassin #2 to check on the

execution. Assassin #2 canters off the road and down the

hill...

EXT. FOREST - BELOW THE ROAD - DAWN

Assassin #2 canters down the hillside.

He senses movement behind him -- spins around, drawing his

sword -- too late --

Maximus throws a sword -- it flashes through the air --

and into Assassin #2.

EXT. FOREST ROAD - DAWN

Assassin #1 waits on his horse. He hears the commotion

below -- spins his horse around just as Maximus bursts to

the road. He stands with a sword.

Assassin #1 spurs his horse and gallops toward Maximus at

full speed -- Maximus crouches and prepares --

Assassin #1 and Maximus swirl together for an instant --

both slashing brutally --

Assassin #1 continues to gallop past Maximus. He stops.

He looks down. A wound in his stomach. He falls off his

horse. Dead.

Maximus has also been wounded -- a deep gash on his side.

He fights the pain as he moves toward the horses...

EXT. FOREST ROAD - DAY

Maximus is galloping through the forest at lightning

speed, leading four horses behind him. The gash in his

side bleeding.

EXT. TENT CITY - DAY

A gloomy day. Emperor Commodus stands before the

assembled Felix Regiment.

The soldiers are already uneasy. They note Quintus

standing by Commodus, wearing Maximus' seal of office.

Where is Maximus?

COMMODUS:

Even as the Gods curse this dark day

with clouds, so too does the sun

begin to shine forth on a promised

tomorrow. Even as we mourn the

passing of our father, so too do we

celebrate the coming of a bright,

new age for Rome. At my side,

brothers, you shall pull fresh

glories from the heavens. At my

side, brothers, you shall know the

adoration of the Gods. Doubly-dark

is this day because my friend, your

noble commander Maximus Meridas, has

been called to Rome to deal with

urgent matters of state...

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