The Physician Page #5

for over a century.

Even my father only ever heard

speak of it.

But his son... may live to see it

with his own eyes.

The Imam and his mullahs...

have been praying for God's vengeance

to punish my extravagance.

I cannot do them that favor.

My lord, hundreds of thousands of

your subjects could die.

My people are fruitful! They will survive!

Don't disturb my falcon.

This audience is over.

The plague doesn't care if you're

rich or poor...

common man or nobleman or head

of state but it's reached Ispahan.

No wall, however thick, will stop it.

- Are you threatening me, Englishman?

- Not a threat, My lord.

A promise.

Galen believed that the plague was due

to a disproportion of the 4 humors.

Hippocrates blamed it on the release of

bad air from the ground during earthquakes...

caused by a diseased [...] constellation of

Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

The only thing these fellows agree on...

is there are approximately 12 hours

between contagion and eruption.

Twelve hours, gentlemen.

Twelve hours.

Listen. On His Majesty's orders...

the Madrassa will be honored to

accompany the Shah on his hunting trip.

Please express our regrets to the Shah,

but we cannot join him.

You refuse to obey?!

We are Hakims not hunters.

I will convey your answer.

I know.

Each of us is thinking "why should I

stay and risk my life..."

"fighting a pestilence that has

no cure", well...

we must each find our own answer. So...

Those who wish to leave, go now

with my blessing.

The rest will battle death by my side

until...

we defeat it.

Or it defeats us.

Since when do we have fleas here?

Twelve hours are almost gone.

Maybe the Allmerciful spares us.

Shouldn't you be hunting with the shah

instead of risking your life here?

To hear from Mirdin and you until the

end of my days what the...

...bad doctor and infamous coward I am?

Is it so important what a bunch of

Jews think of you?

No.

It's only important what my friends

think of me.

Help! Help!

Lay her down.

The woman says the Seljuk

spit on her before dying.

Master, the plague doesn't kill everyone.

The boy will live.

- The woman, the two men...

- Stop!

They're going to die.

We will fight for each and every life.

Do you hear me?

Each and every one.

Yes, hakim.

The soldiers are closing the gates.

We'll be locked in with the plague.

Yes sir. You can go through.

Hold back. Hold them back!

Get back! Hold them back!

Only members of the royal court are

permitted to leave the city.

But I am a member of the court.

Close the latch. Hold them back.

[In Hebrew] Dad, Mom...

please don't worry, it will all be

over in a few days.

Watch out for yourselves.

You too.

Mirdin... hurry to your sponsor's house.

- Hasn't Bar Kappara left town?

- He has, yes.

Jesse.

The water cools down the fever, no?

You'd make a good Hakim.

- So this is your good Jew?

- [...] what it looks like.

- Would you have left her like that?

- No, neither would any husband worth the name.

Tie her down.

She mustnt scratch the boils. They

must burst by themselves.

- Why can't we just cut them out?

- The roots are too deep.

According to which authority?

Hippocrates himself. He compares them

to the roots of a tree.

Did he see them with his own eyes?

You question Hippocrates?

You taught me to question all

certainties, Hakim.

Whatever their source.

Deeper.

What if humans are different than dogs?

- What if the boils don't inside of us!

- No!

We have more than enough corpses at

our disposal.

What you are proposing, Allah forbids.

As does Yahweh as does Jesus Christ.

People are dying... and we can only watch.

How can that be the will of any God?

A hundred and thirteen.

Today's body count alone.

If we extrapolate the entire city,

there are probably...

more than a thousand deaths a day.

Like baling out the ocean

with a thimble.

But we are bailing... nevertheless.

This Sinbad the Sailor has a story to tell.

The story of his life.

The long seasons he kept open house.

His entertainments were the most

magnificent of all.

All that were just goodbyes

seemed at his disposal.

He lavished the good things of his life

upon his guests.

Villagers, slaves and attendants,

there were in great number.

His garden was spacious... and beautiful.

- It's the fleas, master!

- What?

The shrouds of the dead are crawling

with them.

I believe the plague may be carried

by their bite.

When the host dies the body cools and

the fleas leave to find a new victim.

So every corpse is a threat.

Great, now we look like women.

It's better than dying.

He won't be satisfied until we're

all dead.

You have all these virgins waiting for

you. How many was it again?

Some say 99, some say 20. What

about yours?

None.

None?

- Then what's the point in dying?

- To walk with God.

Master.

Look.

Dust flea.

Commonly found in rats.

Gentlemen!

- We mix a strong poison.

- Yes, sir.

Praised be Allah. A hundred and ten,

three less than yesterday.

The rate of death is declining.

Well you heard me. Get to work.

Stop loafing !

You look better.

Don't the other patients complain [...]?

I treat every patient equally.

- Do you also read to them for hours?

- If it helps.

Will you grant me one more wish, Genie?

Or are they all gone?

It's so beautiful.

You can even see the snow

in the mountains.

Helps you forget everything down there.

What sin has Ispahan committed that

God must punish it so?

I'm just thankful he spared you.

In my fever I dreamt that we were

man and wife.

We had children.

Four!

And did we roam around in a

barbers cart?

No.

No, we lived in a great city.

Where you built a Madrassa.

All by myself?

I helped.

Jesse.

You have to see this.

Bar Kappara! Bar Kappara! You are alive!

Jesse, don't you see that?

Hakim! Hakim! Wait, wait! Come here!

There!

Karim.

Don't look at me like that.

Where I am going, there is a

river of wine...

and women...

Women that are more beautiful than

in the Shah's harem.

Might even be a redhead.

God gives us life...

and God takes it back.

Why does he always take more than

he gives?

Looking for reasons not to go home.

Jesse, I wish you a long and happy life.

You deserve it.

Blessed are you, Lord...

sovereign of the universe...

who has sanctified us with

his commandments...

and saved us from the plague.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

To survival.

If the world were just...

I should bow to you.

But it is not.

Arise.

Arise, heroes of Ispahan!

We have a celebration to attend.

Would you like a little wine?

Are you sure?

Why so glum?

You've saved us. You should be drunk on

our gratitude.

Hailing that and my wine.

- This one of the state?

- Enjoy yourself, Englishman.

My father believed...

feelings and emotions...

were beneath a true ruler.

When I was a child, to drive them

from my heart...

he would take me to witness executions.

I watched condemned men beg

for their lives.

I watched the swarms of flies feasting

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes