Gladiator Page #9

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GRACCHUS:

It is his duty to hear the will of

the Senate.

Their wagon stops -- hopelessly stuck in a massive traffic

jam of chariots, wagons and sedan chairs.

GRACCHUS:

Not to mention the damn traffic!

INT. PALACE - THRONE ROOM - DAY

Emperor Commodus is standing before a group of male

children and their tutors in his throne room.

The throne room is still very much the province of his

father. Manuscripts and astronomical charts and papyrus

scrolls and wax tablets litter the heavy desk. A large

bust of Marcus Aurelius is in one corner.

Lucilla and Senator Falco are present. So too Senators

Gracchus and Gaius and Captain Marcellus.

A well-rehearsed child presents Commodus with a laurel

wreath.

CHILD:

We honor Caesar with the laurel to

show our love and appreciation for

his benevolence.

COMMODUS:

Caesar is honored to accept your

tribute, Citizen Scholar.

The child smiles and moves back to his fellows.

COMMODUS:

(to all)

It is the most sacred duty of the

Emperor to oversee the education of

the young. If I could leave no

other legacy than the scholarship of

all children my life would be

blessed. Tutors, you hold the

future of Rome in your hands. Teach

them well so that they will bring

honor to the Empire. I salute you.

Commodus actually bows before them, an unimaginable honor.

The tutors bow in response and herd the children out.

COMMODUS:

Look at them, Senators... my truest

gift to Rome.

GRACCHUS:

Darling children, to be sure, now if

I may proceed?

COMMODUS:

(sighs)

Very well...

Commodus moves to the desk, standing over it and gazing at

Marcus' scrolls as:

GRACCHUS:

Caesar, your presence in Rome is an

invaluable opportunity to begin

correcting some of the ills that

have beset the city since your

father went to the wars. We would

like to --

COMMODUS:

Peace, good Gracchus, peace...

Commodus slowly begins pushing Marcus' papyrus scrolls off

the desk to the floor, one by one, as:

COMMODUS:

My beloved father was a careless

shepherd to his flock. I shall be a

good father to my children. I shall

remain in Rome and show them how

they are loved.

GRACCHUS:

With respect, sire, the people don't

need love -- they need law. The

Senate has prepared a series of

protocols to begin addressing the

corruption in the city --

(Gaius hands him a

scroll)

-- starting with basic sanitation in

the Hebrew Quarter. If Caesar could

study this and --

COMMODUS:

You see that's the very problem,

isn't it, my old, old friend? My

father spent all his time at study.

At books and learning and

philosophy...

As Commodus speaks he moves to the chair behind the desk,

tries it, doesn't like it, nods to a slave. The chair is

whisked away.

COMMODUS:

He spent his twilight hours reading

scrolls from the Senate. All the

while, the people were forgotten.

GRACCHUS:

The Senate is the people.

COMMODUS:

I doubt many of the people eat so

well as you do, Senator Gracchus...

As Commodus speaks he moves to the bust of Marcus, studies

it, doesn't like it, nods to a slave and the bust is

whisked away. Lucilla watches this closely.

COMMODUS:

I doubt many of the people have such

splendid armor, Captain Marcellus.

Or such fine mistresses, Senator

Gaius. No... only their true father

knows what the people need. I shall

show them they are loved. I shall

hold them to my bosom and embrace

them tightly --

GRACCHUS:

Have you ever embraced someone dying

of plague, sire?

Commodus stops. Looks at him. A lethal moment.

COMMODUS:

No. But if you interrupt me one

more time I assure you that you

shall. I will emulate the immortal

Caesars of the past. I will give

the people what they truly want.

Starting this day I will draw all of

Rome to the Colosseum. I will give

them bread. And they will want

nothing more.

Startled looks between Gracchus, Gaius and Marcellus.

GRACCHUS:

You want to hold games?

COMMODUS:

Not just any games, Senator! A

series of games that will make the

Gods envious and leave my children

happy! I will subsidize the arena

from this day forth -- and I will

culminate this celebration in a

great spectacle the likes of which

the world has never seen! A great

spectacle to honor my father!

Magnificent, unending weeks of

festivity all in the name of Marcus

Aurelius!

A beat.

GRACCHUS:

If I may, Caesar... how are you

going to pay for this?

COMMODUS:

That is not your concern.

Gracchus ignores a warning look from Gaius.

GRACCHUS:

Respectfully, sire, taxation and

import duties are the exclusive

province of the Senate --

Commodus spins on him so quickly and with such feral

violence that everyone is shocked --

COMMODUS:

MY FATHER DESERVES TO BE HONORED AND

I WILL HONOR HIM! -- AND THE PEOPLE

WILL LOVE ME! -- AND THE SENATE WILL

OBEY ME OR EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL

BURN! BURN! BURN! -- I WILL HAVE

ORDER!

He snarls like a great jungle cat and he stalks away.

Senator Falco quickly follows.

A dreadful silence.

Then:

LUCILLA:

Gentlemen, in the future do not

concern my brother with these

matters. Come to me.

She sweeps out.

A beat.

MARCELLUS:

Games? He wants to hold games?

GAIUS:

It's madness.

GRACCHUS:

No... it's not...

A beat.

GRACCHUS:

He knows who Rome is. Rome is the

mob. He will conjure magic for them

and they will be distracted. And he

will takes their lives. And he will

take their freedom. And still they

will roar. The beating heart of

Rome isn't the marble of the Senate.

It's the sand of the Colosseum. He

will give them death. And they will

love him for it.

INT. PROVINCIAL ARENA - DUGOUT - TUNNELS - DAY

Maximus is marching relentlessly through the dugout and

cramped, serpentine trench-like tunnels that lead to the

arena.

We don't really see Maximus well in the dark tunnels.

Proximo scurries to keep up with him -- they brush past

gladiators who line the walls. Some are wounded, some are

being attended to by surgeons, some are shell-shocked,

some are nervously waiting to go on, whispering prayers.

We twist and turn in the tunnels with Proximo and Maximus

as:

PROXIMO:

(quickly)

I've wagered on you against the

Celts -- ignore the others and go

for them -- there are two axe-and-

net and two long spear. Now the

Celts aren't used to the sun so you

have the advantage there...

The roar of the crowd is growing, they are nearing the

arena...

PROXIMO:

And keep them moving, their lungs

aren't strong, ground the spears as

soon as you can and then go for the

ax-men. If you get all four there's

an extra bonus so don't be

distracted by the Spartans...

Without a word to Proximo, or a moment's hesitation,

Maximus strides into the arena.

EXT. PROVINCIAL ARENA - DAY

We continue with Maximus as he strides into the roaring

arena.

We finally see him in the blazing sunlight -- he wears

traditional gladiator armor and now has longer hair and a

beard --

A battle is already in progress, fighting and dead and

dying gladiators crowd the arena --

We stay with Maximus as he wades through his opponents,

fighting them heroically, slashing through them without

stopping --

The large crowd cheers mightily -- chants of "Spaniard!

Spaniard! Spaniard!"

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