The Apostle Peter: Redemption

---

1

Forgive me, Lord,

for I am weak.

What did you say?

Are you willing to admit

your part?

I have failed my Lord.

Well, I will not fail mine.

Processus, stop!

- What are you doing?

- Getting a confession.

Look at him.

- From a dead man.

- You'll get no confession

Water, now.

- -Unchain him.

- -But we were given strict...

Unchain him!

He's bleeding.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Listen to me, old man.

Look around you.

Where you are?

Have you forgotten

This is Mamertine,

- in the world,

- the most secure prison

And you are alone.

One word from Nero

- and the entire might

- of the Roman Empire

Could be brought to bear

on you.

So why not cooperate?

Tell us.

Tell me.

Why did you start the fires?

I cannot confess

to that which I did not do.

Come.

Be with me, Lord.

Be with me.

These fires have turned

the city on its end.

All the more reason

to find these criminals.

Agreed.

- But finding them

- will not ease the suffering

Of those who've been

burned out.

Or perhaps they'll find

distraction in the games.

The games.

Yes, Honor,

the games of your festival.

- Never mind the games.

- Where are your priorities?

I would hear from Theodus.

- Honor, we have been working

- day and night

But there are still hundreds

of families on the street.

We simply do not have the

resources to help everybody.

That's enough.

I cannot allow my people to be

treated this way anymore.

Redirect funds from

the aqueduct project,

and take care of my people

immediately.

- But, Honor, respectfully, - we

need to keep - The water project...

I have made my decision.

If you'd like to debate it,

you can do so

from the streets,

where you will be personally

- side by side.

- Working with these people,

Ah! Martinian.

- What progress have we made?

- Forgive me.

The inquisitors were

overly zealous

with the old man,

the Christian, Peter.

Zealous?

- He is quite weak.

And?

Honor, he may die.

Excuse me?

He may die.

I seem to recall

giving the specific order

that he may be beaten,

burned, tortured, torn,

twisted in whatever way

that you deemed necessary,

but I clearly remember

that I did not want him

to be killed!

In fact, did I not forbid it?

Yes, Honor.

What am I to do

with a dead man?

It is my fault, Honor.

He is their leader,

and I do not want him dead.

What we have now

is houses burned,

businesses lost,

people in the streets,

homeless,

so what I demand is

that every name

- in starting these fires

- of every Christian involved

Be given to me.

He knows who they are.

And you will give that to me.

Yes, Honor.

Husband.

One of my servants

is an excellent healer.

You can send her

to minister to this Peter.

Bring her.

- Come where

- I can see you.

What is your name?

Susanna.

And why is it I have not

seen you before, Susanna?

She is one of my

personal servants.

She has no reason

to attend at court.

Perhaps in the future,

- to rectify that.

- I should do something

Honor, we have them.

Come on!

Excellent.

Forward. Go!

Martinian, stay for this.

Who am I?

- Do you have a tongue?

Yes, Emperor.

Yes, I am your Emperor,

and you are an arsonist,

a man who likes to set fire

to buildings.

No, Honor.

I do not know who would make

these charges or why.

I have not started any fires.

- Calling me a liar?

- No, Honor.

I understand that you have

spent some time

with the criminal, Peter.

The Christian.

Yes, Honor.

Well, since it's

commonly known

- that Christians

- are responsible

For setting fire to my city,

then you just admitted

to being one of them.

- -But...

- Liar!

Murderer.

Arsonist.

I despise you,

you people of faith.

Now, tell me about

these fires.

Please, Honor.

I've never burned anything,

except a fire to heat my home,

perhaps to cook.

Silence!

Do you have any idea

how many people you've killed?

Do you realize

what you've done?

You Christians,

you're all one,

together like brothers

and sisters, yes?

Yes, Honor.

Well, as I said,

- since we know that

- the Christians are responsible

For burning down the city,

then you just admitted

to being an accessory.

Please, Honor,

I do not understand.

We are a non-violent people.

- We just wish to raise

- our families,

Worship in peace.

Don't say that word,

"worship"!

If there is one thing

I cannot tolerate,

it's a liar.

Honor...

And the rest of them?

Perhaps some time in Mamertine

will get them thinking

- about their response

- in the future.

Yes, Honor.

- Move along.

- Move. Move yourself!

Move!

Keep going.

This is

- longer to the prison

But more peaceful

than city streets.

- Would you care to

- sit for a moment?

Yes, thank you.

I am sorry

you had to witness that.

There's a fine line

between the civility of Rome

and the violence of the men

who would drag her to ruin.

It doesn't bother you?

I spent my career

on the battlefields.

The Gauls to the north,

savages to the east.

They live like beasts,

slaughtering each other,

sometimes even devouring

their enemies.

And you relished in that life?

The Roman army is a line,

the only line between

all of this and savagery.

But that man wasn't a savage.

He was a Roman citizen.

Worse than a savage,

a citizen who turned against

his country.

- And how can you

- It is not mine to question.

- Be so certain?

I leave that to the Emperor.

- Are you feeling well enough

- to walk?

We should go.

I apologize.

These people are like animals.

What have you

- done to him?

How could you?

You are the animals.

Peter?

- Go. Fetch me clean water.

Are you deaf?

Go and fetch me clean water.

Now.

Go on.

Are you all right?

Get out.

- Haven't you done

- enough damage?

Now you wish to stay

and gloat?

I don't want you anywhere

near him.

- Put down the lantern

- and leave.

My name is Susanna.

I'm a servant

to the wife of the Emperor.

- I have been sent

- to tend to your wounds.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This rabbi you follow,

what was he like?

My children.

- I shall only be with you

- a little while longer,

For where I am going,

you cannot follow.

But afterwards,

you will follow me again.

All of you will be made

to stumble this night

because of me.

For it is written,

"I shall strike the shepherd,

shall be scattered."

and his sheep

But when I have risen,

I will go before you

to Galilee.

Even if all others are made

to stumble because of you,

I will never be made

to stumble.

My Peter, I say this to you,

that today, even this night,

before the rooster crows,

you will deny me three times.

If I have to die with you,

I will not deny you.

You also were with

Jesus of Galilee.

- I don't know

- what you're talking about.

What could you

- have done?

You were all alone.

I could've done better.

I should've done better.

I do not understand.

This Peter is a criminal.

You are wrong.

He is a good man,

a holy man who carries

the message of the teacher,

Jesus of Nazareth.

He has committed no crime.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes