Quo Vadis Page #10

The empress speaks rightly, Caesar.

The people hate these Christians.

They are the enemies of Rome

and of the state.

The people want vengeance, Nero.

Let them have it.

The people suspect you.

Let their suspicion turn

in this more beneficial direction.

- Surely, my lord...

- They should pay, Caesar.

They must pay.

Do you hear?

The Christians are plotting to destroy me.

You have often reminded us, Nero,

of the judgment of history.

What will its verdict be

if you punish the innocent...

...and betray your own greatness?

Let future ages,

looking back at this time...

...regard Nero

with wonder and amazement.

Let history say:

Nero, the ruler of the world.

Nero, a god, burned Rome

because he was as powerful as Jupiter.

He loved poetry so much

that he sacrificed Rome for a song.

History need not say

that the burning of Rome was good...

...but it must say

that it was colossal, uncommon.

I cannot listen to any veiled suggestion

that my emperor is a coward.

That is amusing.

You, who were too cowardly

to risk your life for him yourself.

Petronius is right.

You refused to die for me.

He wants to preserve your enemies.

I want to kill them.

- Why do you defend these people?

- I'll tell you why, my lord.

Because his nephew, Vinicius,

loves a Christian girl, Lygia.

And it may be Petronius

is himself a Christian.

Petronius, are you a Christian?

I am not.

I have heard that the Christians

teach you to love your neighbor.

And as I see what men are...

...I cannot, for the life of me,

love my fellow man.

Ha!

He does not love you, gentlemen.

A tablet, Phaon.

The people shall have their vengeance.

I hereby proclaim that the guilt

of the burning of our beloved city...

...rests with the foul sect

which calls itself Christian.

They have spread the lie

that it was Nero who burnt Rome.

I will exterminate these criminals...

...in a manner

matching the enormity of their crime.

Their punishment will be a warning.

A spectacle of terror...

...to all evil men...

...everywhere and forever...

...who would harm you or harm Rome...

...or harm your emperor...

...who loves you.

Pause, Nero, before you sign this decree.

Rome has given the world

justice and order.

Sign that,

and Roman justice will receive a blow...

...from which it may never recover.

Condemn these Christians

and you make martyrs of them...

...and insure their immortality.

Condemn them,

and in the eyes of history...

...you'll condemn yourself.

When I have finished

with these Christians, Petronius...

...history will not be sure

that they ever existed.

When I grow up, I'm gonna be a sailor.

Nothing burns at sea.

There's too much water.

Nero can burn the whole ocean.

Marcus.

Did you rest well?

I was impatient to see the sunrise,

and here you are.

You should have slept longer.

Your journey from Antium

and last night must have...

I've been asleep too long

in many ways, Lygia.

I must return to the city at once,

meet with Nerva and the others.

Yes, Rome and what it stands for.

Something must be done

about this maniac.

There must be an answer to this,

quickly, decisive.

You do know the answer.

You do understand.

There can be no

turning the other cheek now, Lygia.

If I have not returned by nightfall,

I'll send word.

Marcus Vinicius?

We have not met,

but I have heard of you.

You must realize how grateful we are

for what you have done.

For your concern for Lygia.

My only concern is for Lygia.

Hold yourself straight, youngster.

A man must be a soldier.

I don't want to be a soldier.

Let's talk about our journey.

We'll be meeting Paul in Greece,

you know.

That's good.

You'll like Greece, Nazarius.

You'll help me to fish for men there.

And I think we'll have time

to fish for fish too.

Are we leaving soon?

As soon as we eat.

We shall be starting within the hour.

I'm glad,

because I don't like it here anymore.

Yes, indeed.

We shall be fishermen together.

Please, my lord,

do not trouble yourself so.

It is a moment for thought, Eunice.

Yesterday, I could have gone to the mob

and told them that Nero burned Rome.

I could've offered them a new emperor

in General Galba...

...and so set my seal upon the times.

But I did not.

Do you know why, Eunice?

I know nothing of these things, my lord.

Because I love Nero, perhaps?

He fills me with loathing.

No, because out of force of long habit...

...I've become content

only to be an amused cynic...

...a selfish onlooker,

leaving others to shape the world.

Marcus.

The gods be praised.

I was worried about you.

You know Nerva, here.

My third in command, Justin Scipio.

We meet in a ghastly hour, gentlemen.

We've made our decision.

The time has come for Galba

to replace Nero.

Justin is taking this message to him...

...asking him to come with his legions

in all haste.

Your signature added to these will make

Galba confident of his reception.

I know you will give it.

I sign it with humility.

On your way.

You took a risk in coming here.

You're a marked man.

You scorned Poppaea.

She has death in her eye for you

and your Lygia.

I'll chance that.

Take Lygia

and leave Rome as quickly as possible.

At least you'll be spared

Nero's final horror.

He is about to extinguish his conflagration

in a sea of blood.

Whose blood?

Did you not hear his orators

at the street corners?

Already the people are being given

the story, along with grain and wine...

...that it was the Christians and not Nero

who set fire to Rome.

- They won't believe such a lie.

- But they are believing it.

The people will believe any lie

if it is fantastic enough.

I'll meet you at your house by midday.

We will keep you informed.

Farewell, Marcus.

Farewell.

Farewell?

What do you mean, my lord?

My dear, this morning

Nero sent to inquire after my health.

A Praetorian officer

brought his solicitude.

It is easy to see

that he means to amuse himself...

...by making a sport of my extermination.

- But then you must...

- No, no, my dear.

I have the means to disappoint him.

Send Anaxander to me.

I will give him the names

of those few I love.

He will go and ask them

to dine with us tonight.

- Gen. Plautius, his family, where are they?

- You're late, they're already imprisoned.

The Praetorians came

and collected the whole scurvy lot.

Me, raising my children

right by the house of dirty Christians.

Burn the city, will they?

Put them in Number 4.

Have you the family

of General Plautius here?

I do not know, commander.

See if we have them.

I have an order

for their immediate release.

A signed order? By whom?

I do not accept questions, Praetorian.

I transmit orders.

A seasoned campaigner trapped by love.

We've been expecting you.

As soldiers, we've always hoped to die

a quick and noble death...

...haven't we, Vinicius?

But Nero has in mind for you

something more leisurely...

...and certainly ignoble.

Put him with his Christian friends.

Marcus?

Oh, why did they take you?

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