The Sign of the Cross Page #4

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is in every heart...

I could be wholly at peace.

As Jesus loved God,

so he loved his brothers...

who are also

the children of God.

With understanding,

with faith...

he held power over all things,

even death.

He proved there is no death...

only a crossing over

to the Father...

and life everlasting.

Jesus knew it. He lived it.

He walked the earth

in goodness...

telling that we're all

of his blood, his spirit.

Work for one another,

comfort one another...

that was his cry.

Love your neighbor

as yourself.

That is what he came

to teach mankind.

That message is heard.

It will be carried

to all men...

to the farthest corners

of the earth.

And God will walk among us...

and you will go

out into the world...

and you will carry

to your brothers a new life...

and that new life is freedom.

Freedom as vast and beautiful

as heaven is. And...

Why, look!

It's an arrow.

He's hit. Titus is shot.

Where did it come from?

Look!

The Emperor's

soldiers!

Flank out.

We are betrayed.

Oh, merciful Father!

Titus! Titus!

Put out the brands!

Death is nothing to fear.

Father, no! Father!

Thy kingdom come,

thy will be done...

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day

our daily bread...

and forgive us

our trespasses...

as we forgive those...

who trespass against us.

Blessed are they

who are persecuted for...

Favius!

Mercia, my dear. I...

It's Marcus!

Marcus Superbus!

Hark, the Prefect.

Stop firing!

Mercia.

He's dying.

Favius.

Come with me. Quick.

Isn't that the girl you were

talking to at the fountain, Marcus?

You couldn't have known

that she was a Christian...

or you wouldn't have let her go

after hearing the Emperor's orders.

Why was this

execution stopped?

Your apparent concern for these

Christians is traitorous.

Withdraw that.

If I was too hasty,

I'm sorry.

Help him.

Can't you do something?

Peace be with you.

With you both.

Go and find them! If you

find them, make them talk!

Well, what are

the Prefect's orders?

What's to be done

with the Christians?

Say you

will lean on me.

I can't hold on

much longer.

I'm dying.

Viturius...

Iook after the wounded...

and take the others

to the Martian prison.

Why to the Martian prison?

Why not to the arena dungeon?

Let it stand as I said.

To the Martian prison!

In God's name,

be merciful to us!

God is mercy.

Come on.

Viturius!

Here, Excellence.

At the change of watch tonight,

take the girl from prison.

Bring her to my house.

Put a woman servant with her.

Excellence,

that's dangerous sport.

Do it.

Yes, Excellence.

Daughter. Oh, Lord.

Mama.

Come, little sister.

I'll take care of you.

Come on, come on.

Here's one you forgot.

You sent for me, Empress?

Having to send for you hurt my vanity

a bit. Oh, I'm sorry, Empress.

Leave us.

You don't need to

call me Empress.

I should have been here earlier

to apologize for my rudeness last night.

Oh, don't bother.

I've since learned

why you had to be so abrupt.

And you have these enemies

of Nero safely in prison.

It's true, isn't it?

Yes.

All of them?

Yes.

Even this baby-faced

Christian girl?

Tell me.

Even this girl who parades

as innocence and purity...

and is the scum of Rome?

Poppaea!

Why, you're angry.

You misunderstand.

I have no serious

interest in the girl.

Oh, don't be stupid.

All Rome knows that

she's in your house...

and Rome is laughing about it.

Well?

Sit close to me, Marcus.

I've loved you.

You've never returned

that love.

You've hardly been friendly.

Oh, I know.

You haven't wanted

a vile court intrigue with me.

I haven't either,

particularly.

But what else is there?

So I've waited...

thinking you've kept away

out of loyalty to Nero...

and that finally you would...

comfort me in spite of it.

So I've waited...

being jealous and hurt...

while you played with a dozen

less admirable women.

But this is different.

Knowing I cared for you...

you've preferred to make a fool

of yourself over this Christian outcast.

Yes, you are right.

I am loyal to the Emperor.

Too loyal to aspire to an intrigue

with the Empress.

Is that evasion?

No, it's the truth.

Then I shall go on hoping

to make you forget that loyalty.

If I can't, someday...

to my shame...

I may command you to forget.

Your pardon, Empress.

Marcus.

Marcus. Do you love this girl?

Answer me!

Well, then I...

I don't know.

That says you perhaps do.

I could laugh with Rome about it

if I didn't care so much.

Marcus Superbus...

caught at last by

a Christian wanton.

You've no right

to call her that.

Oh, very much in love.

Well, why not? It's not

so impossible, so laughable.

She's young,

beautiful, virtuous.

I find I'm sick of

patrician women...

who haven't heard of virtue.

That's a direct enough insult.

I couldn't avoid it.

I never saw a man

who held his life so cheaply.

That sounds like a threat.

I've never threatened

with you.

I shan't,

unless you drive me to it.

The game is dangerous enough

without my threats.

Tigellinus knows

what you've done.

No citizen can protect

a Christian from the law.

Well, in this case, I...

I can't stop

to remember the law.

Then I shall make you stop

to remember me.

You'll give up

this girl, Marcus.

Will I?

Yes.

You'll forget

about her entirely.

I've stayed too long.

Empress.

They were meeting openly,conspiring

openly against your life...

and Marcus wouldn't

permit them to be killed.

Do I make myself understood, Caesar?

Yes.

My head is splitting. The wine

last night, the music...

the delicious debauchery.

Caesar, will Marcus go so far

as your overthrow...

and your death?

Why are you always

frightening me like that?

Plots against my life.

Death rides in the street

with me, he eats out of my plate.

Marcus took them to prison and there

released the most dangerous of them.

That can't be true.

How much further will he go?

I'll stop him right here.

I've been too lenient.

I'll make an example

of Marcus.

I order him to be seized.

I shan't rest until he's dead.

Until who is dead?

Poppaea.

Do you know what Marcus has done?

Yes.

I think it's very amusing.

You...

I'm telling you

he's turned traitor.

He's released some

dangerous Christians.

Oh, just one.

A pretty little Christian girl,

not dangerous to anyone...

except Marcus himself.

But, beloved...

Marcus is just a man

with a thrilling weakness.

He took this girl

to his house.

He's such a willful,

energetic boy.

Rome is amused, and you're alarmed.

Shame on you.

Caesar, the edict

was not obeyed.

Yes. Can you be amused

at that, Poppaea?

I can, because

it was the girl's fault.

Destroy the girl...

not your most devoted,

reliable officer.

Simply give Tigellinus an order

to take her out of Marcus' hands.

Nero, beloved...

don't listen to everyone

when you have me.

You'll make a blunder someday

that will make people laugh at you...

the same as they're laughing

at Marcus now.

I'm not at all well, Poppaea.

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