The Last Days of Pompeii Page #2

Money doesn't matter.

You're a fool.

Money is all that matters.

Without money, who cares for a man?

Who will listen to him?

They'll listen to me.

- And who will care for you?

- No one.

Well done, Marcus.

- A good fight.

- The best fighter in the empire.

Marcus, what a fighter.

You remember me, don't you?

You once saved my life.

I don't save lives.

Very good. Very witty.

But surely you haven't forgotten

Cleon, the slave dealer?

In your forge, the Scythian prisoner

would have killed me.

I remember.

I wonder why I stopped him.

I don't know why you should

look down on me, my friend.

Aren't we in the same business?

We both furnish amusement

for the people.

I risk my life with the man

I'm fighting.

You buy and sell poor wretches

to be slaughtered as a spectacle.

I'm not proud of myself, but by Jupiter,

compared to you, I'm a holy man.

You'll never be an old one.

It isn't brawn that survives, it's brain.

It's well-known that the rat

lives longer than the lion.

But who wants to be a rat?

I wouldn't do your dirty

work, not to save my life.

Did you see that backhand

stroke of the Wolf's?

He nearly got me with

it the first time.

- It's a good trick.

- Well, the Wolf's done his last trick.

- I wonder if the cub knows tricks yet.

- The cub? What are you talking about?

- Where's my father?

- Who is your father?

The Wolf.

Where is he?

There's a question for you.

Maybe there's a special

place for wolves to go--

Take your dirty, grinning faces

out of here. All of you. Get out!

- Don't be frightened.

- I'm not frightened.

I was just getting out of the way.

Know what to do

when the shouting begins, eh?

Yes.

What are you doing here? Why aren't

you at home with your mother?

Oh, my mother's dead. She died in Gaul

I was born in Gaul.

- Where did you live after that?

- With the legion, the 21st.

My father was the best fighter

in the legion.

- Why was he in the arena?

- Well, you see, he had a little trouble.

It wasn't his fault.

But he's gonna win this fight

and then everything will be all right.

What happens to people

when they die?

Don't you know? I know all about it

on account of my mother having died.

You see, when people die

they go down to the River Styx.

And there's a boat and a ferryman.

And he takes them across

the river to the underworld.

...where all spirits are.

- Are there any soldiers of the legion?

- Oh, yes. Lots of father's comrades.

You're a soldier's son.

You don't have to be babied

and lied to.

Your father has gone

to join those comrades.

Across the river?

And he went bravely.

I'm sorry.

You're afraid I'm going to cry,

aren't you?

I don't cry.

He said he'd win this fight...

...and I could unbuckle

the winner's sword.

Do you want to unbuckle mine?

No.

How would you like to be my son?

Haven't you got one?

Not anymore.

I'll make what's happened here today

turn into good for you.

Oh, my friends.

Never before in Pompeii

such merchandise.

Look at her. Sweet as a child.

An accomplished hairdresser.

Plays the harp. She's a real bargain.

- Can she scrub floors?

- Greetings, lady.

She's as good as the one

I sold you three months ago.

She'd better be stronger.

It's disgusting the way they die off.

- Lady, this one has a tough hide.

- That's what you said about the last.

- But, lady-

-it's Marcus.

- Hail, champion.

- Greetings, Marcus.

I'm betting on you tomorrow.

I see you're no gambler.

What can I do for you? A nice girl

to delight the heart of a fighter?

Nothing for me. I've come

to buy a tutor for my son.

By Mercury,

I have the very thing for you.

A Greek, speaks four languages.

A scholar, kind and steady.

Been in the same family

for 20 years.

- Let's have a look at him. Where is he?

- There, in the fourth pen.

You go first and talk to him.

See if you like him.

Maybe he won't like me.

That's a good one.

Hail, Greek.

Hail, Roman.

My father sent me

to see if I like you.

- Why?

- If I do, he'll buy you for me.

- Can you speak four languages?

- Yes.

- You know a lot of stories?

- Thousands.

- About soldiers and wars and fighting?

- Yes, but there are better stories.

Well...

...you can tell me the ones you like.

I don't mind.

I like him, Father.

I remember you. You're the slave

who said money doesn't matter.

Buy me for your son.

You served one family 20 years.

Why are you here?

I dropped my young master's

cloak in the mud.

- I see.

- May I have him, Father?

- How much?

- Three hundred.

- What?

- Well, he's a scholar.

Well, I didn't know they cost that much.

It's beyond my reach.

But, Father, you said if I liked him--

But we don't have

that much money, Flavius.

He says he knows lots of stories.

- Two hundred.

- Make it 250.

Oh, Father.

Two hundred and forty-three.

- Forty-three?

- It's all I have. Here it is.

Oh, well.

It's a bargain.

Could you lend me a couple of pieces?

Pay you back

after the games tomorrow.

So money doesn't matter, eh?

- Is that tight enough, master?

- Yes.

Leaster, in these months

since I bought you...

...have you noticed any difference

in the way I fight?

You seem to grow more careful, master.

You're right.

When I'm out there fighting

I keep saying to myself:

"Suppose I am killed.

What will become of Flavius?"

So this is the great Marcus.

Marcus is my name.

Could you be Murmex?

Murmex of Carthage.

- I'm gonna win this fight, you know?

- I didn't know it was settled.

There'll be wailing in your house

tonight. The gods are on my side.

- Have you sacrificed to Mercury?

- Mithras is my god.

Your mistake.

Mercury is the god of braggarts.

You talk too much. Come on and fight.

I told you I'd win.

Congratulations, Murmex.

Hail to the new champion.

Your great Marcus seemed to be

afraid of getting hurt.

Whoever said Marcus was good?

Next time, they'd better get me

a real fighter.

The truth, Leaster.

Master, it will heal...

...but you've fought in the arena

for the last time.

I was too careful.

- So the lion's day is over.

- Still, I don't envy the rat.

You may in days to come.

I've looked forward to this.

Do you remember you said

you wouldn't do my dirty work?

- Not to save your life?

- I still say so.

Will you say so

when your son is hungry?

Makes you wince, doesn't it?

I always have work for men like you...

...if they're not squeamish.

Well, let me know when you're ready

to bring slaves from Libya.

Come on, get them in line!

Don't you know how to handle slaves?

We have a 1 O days' march to the coast!

Stop it!

Cleon doesn't pay for dead slaves.

You'll have plenty of trouble

all the way back.

They know they're going to the arena,

they'd as soon die on the way to it.

I must have the full number

or Cleon won't pay me.

Look here. Let me tell this man

if he makes any more trouble...

...his son will go into the arena too.

All right, tell them all.

You see, you'll have no more trouble

with them now.

Why, he was the fiercest of them all.

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