The Last Days of Pompeii Page #3

Until he saw his son in danger.

Which one do you want?

I like the red one.

But I like the blue one too.

Well, then we'll get a blue one

and a red one.

Father, I'm so glad you're back.

Sweetmeat, young master?

- Father?

- He'll be sick.

- He'd better have some porridge.

- But I don't like porridge.

See that?

Porridge.

- Truly?

- Certainly.

All right, hold my horse.

Porridge.

- Let me read your future, master.

- I make my own future, mother.

No one does that.

I have no faith in soothsayers.

Off with you.

Well, my son,

did you have a good day?

Oh, yes. And I'd like to see

the puppet show again.

We'll get a favouring wind

at moonrise, Marcus.

- Better get aboard early.

- I shall, captain.

Are you going away again, Father?

Yes, I'm sailing tonight.

- Where are you going?

- To Judea...

...to bring back Arabian horses

for the chariot races.

I wished you wouldn't go so soon.

This is an easy journey.

Just to buy horses.

I'll make enough money

to attempt something bigger.

- Bigger horses?

- Perhaps.

Someday we'll live in a big house...

...and you shall have a real horse.

We'll never have a care in the world.

- I hate to leave him again.

- Marcus.

I've searched the town for you.

Men who work for me

can't idle in wine shops.

- I've got orders to give you.

- Not to me.

I've made a contract

on my own account.

What? With the money

I've paid you, eh?

- Then, you must let me in on it.

- Listen, little man...

...someday you slave dealers

will take orders from me.

- I'm gonna be head of the arena.

- You? Your fighting days are over.

- All you can do is brag.

- Think so?

Master, you didn't mean that?

- You want to be the head of the arena?

- Why not?

Men like Cleon sit behind the scenes

and grow rich in safety.

Why shouldn't I get there,

where the money is?

You'd be responsible

for the slaughter of helpless slaves?

- What's it matter if I do or another?

- It matters to your own conscience.

A conscience in Pompeii?

I know the world for what it is.

- I mean to get money and I don't care how.

- No, master.

- She's lying.

- I didn't win, did I?

- Don't listen to her.

- What did she mean?

- Keep out of this.

- What's the trouble?

She foretold I couldn't win.

She's quite right. The dice are loaded.

- Old hag.

- You son of an ape!

You brave man, you noble warrior.

Give me back that money, you cheat!

- A woman of my own race.

- Where does she live?

- Street of the tanners.

- Show me the way.

Come, Flavius.

Young master.

She needs porridge.

Good night, mother. Come, Flavius.

- A kind man.

- I'm not kind.

You try hard not to be, but I can see.

I see a journey.

- You are going.

- Yes?

It's the turning point in your life.

You will be offered the choice

between success and failure.

Be sure you know

which you are choosing.

- I shall know.

- And the son..

Who is no son.

How can she know that?

She's like the wise women

of ancient Greece.

The child will meet with a great man.

- Where?

- In Judea.

- But my son isn't going with me.

- Take him.

Take him to the man.

The greatest man.

Greater than anyone yet known.

The greatest man in Judea.

He will help the child

when help is needed.

And his spirit will direct the child.

- Should I take him?

- She sees things that we can't, master.

A great man to help him?

Success for me?

The ship won't sail without us,

will it, Father?

No, the ship is waiting

to take us to Judea...

to find our fortunes.

Landlord, have those fresh horses

saddled quickly.

They'll be ready in a few minutes.

Stay here tonight.

No. I'm pushing on to Jerusalem.

I have important business there.

It must be important

if you go on in this storm.

I'm taking my son

to the greatest man in Judea.

The greatest man in Judea?

- He's here.

- What?

In there.

- Who is that man?

- The man you're looking for.

The greatest man in Judea

sleeping in a stable?

He was born in a stable.

Master, the horses are ready.

Old man, I'm going to Jerusalem to see

Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea.

- He didn't believe me.

- Who would?

He will someday.

For His Excellency, Pontius Pilate,

dispatches from the eastern border.

Dispatches from the eastern border.

The insolence of these desert tribes.

And Herod encourages them.

- Would he dare, Excellency?

- He has dared.

He encourages their raids

and probably profits by them.

This chief of the Ammonites wouldn't

dare so much without Herod's help.

Since Herod works against you secretly,

can you not do the same to him?

I would...

...if I could only find a man.

Your Excellency...

a horse dealer from Pompeii

is waiting to see you.

What?

- A horse dealer?

- He insists it's important.

Who would be procurator of Judea?

Riots and plots.

The people against Rome,

the people against each other.

If I have a quiet moment, horse dealers

come and clamour at my threshold.

- Who is he? What does he want?

- His name is Marcus.

He used to be a gladiator.

He was the champion.

Marcus.

Marcus, the gladiator.

Yes, I've heard of him.

Trading in horses now?

Thank you.

Send him in.

Well, what do you want?

"Permission for Marcus,

dealer from Pompeii...

...to cross the Jordan to buy horses."

This is only a routine matter. Why--'2

- Your son, I suppose?

- Yes, Excellency.

His name is Flavius.

He's 7 years old. He--

Very interesting.

My good man, what is all this?

There's nothing important in this,

yet you insist on seeing me.

You bring a child,

and you both watch me...

...as though you expected me

to burst into flames.

I'm sorry, Excellency.

I thought it would do no harm

to help the prophecy come true.

Prophecy? What prophecy?

It was prophesied that the greatest man

in Judea would help my son.

- How could you help if you didn't see him?

- Oh, I see.

You're giving aid to the Fates?

If you want a thing well done,

do it yourself.

So even the Fates need an overseer.

Well, I've seen your son

and I won't forget him.

Little boy, sit down over there.

Let us not drive fate too hard.

Tell me...

is it true that you were once

a champion fighter?

Yes, Excellency.

You know, Marcus...

...a man like you would be useful

to someone who could employ him.

Anyone can employ me

for a price.

Sit down, Marcus.

Thank you, Excellency.

- So you came here to buy horses.

- Yes, Excellency.

A pity to pay for them

when they could be had for nothing.

- How?

- Oh, just an idea.

- Unfortunately, it would require my help.

- Yes?

And that, in my official capacity,

I could not give.

Why not?

It would make trouble for me.

I detest trouble.

There's a chief of the Ammonites

who annoys me.

The horses I was speaking of...

...belong to him.

He has many fine horses,

this Ammonite chief?

Wonderful steeds. And this desert barbarian

is rich. He has treasure.

- In gold?

- I believe so.

Oh, not enough to make it

worth Rome's while...

...but a sum that you and I

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